piece

PEES/piːs/

Pluralpieces

Verbpieces, piecing, pieced

24 meanings of piece

Practice

1
part of a wholenouncountable
A part of something bigger that can be taken away from the rest.
Like one block from a tall tower made of many blocks.
She cut the cake into eight equal pieces.
He handed me a piece of the broken vase.
UsageDon't mix up piece (a part) and peace (no war).
Similarpart, component
Note
2
nouncountable
One item of a particular kind, including one thing a worker is paid to make.
Like one card taken out of a full deck of cards.
Each piece in the set has its own number.
She bought three pieces of luggage for the trip.
UsageSay a piece of advice (not ~~incorrect: an advice~~).
Note
3
artworknouncountable
A work of art, like a painting, song, or story.
Like one song on an album full of songs.
The museum bought a famous piece for its new hall.
She played a short piece on the piano.
UsageSay a piece of music.
Similarcomposition
4
news articlenouncountable
An article in a newspaper or magazine, or on a news website.
Like one story in a newspaper full of stories.
She wrote a piece about local schools for the paper.
His piece on the election ran on the front page.
UsageSay a piece about something.
Similararticle, story, report
5
put togetherverbtransitive
To make or fix something by putting pieces together or adding pieces.
Like fitting puzzle parts together to see the whole picture.
She tried to piece the torn letter back together.
Detectives pieced the clues into a clear story.
UsageSay piece together the facts.
Similarassemble, patch, stitch, join, reconstruct
Note
6
game tokennouncountable
One of the objects you move on the board in chess or similar games.
Like the little figures you push around a board game.
He moved a piece to threaten the queen.
She lost two pieces early in the game.
Similarchessman
Note
7
cannonnouncountable
A large gun used by an army, like a cannon.
Like a giant gun mounted on wheels.
The soldiers rolled the heavy piece into position.
Enemy pieces shelled the ridge through the night.
Similargun, cannon
Note

Less common meanings

8
handgunnouncolloquialUScountable
A gun, usually a handgun that a person carries around.
He kept a piece tucked into his waistband.
The cops found a piece hidden under the seat.
UsageSay carry a piece.
Similargun, handgun, pistol, weapon
Note
9
coinnouncountable
A coin, especially one worth less than the main unit of money.
Like a penny next to a whole dollar.
He put a fifty-cent piece into the parking meter.
She paid the fare with a few copper pieces.
UsageSay a fifty-cent piece.
Similarcoin
10
nouncountable
One musician or instrument in a band, used with a number to tell how big the band is.
They hired a five-piece band to play at the wedding.
Our jazz band is only six pieces, so it fits on a small stage.
UsageSay a five-piece band.
Similarmember
11
junknounmildly vulgarcolloquialUScountable
A badly made or useless thing, often a car or machine that keeps breaking.
That old car is a real piece and breaks down weekly.
This cheap printer is a piece, and it jams every time I use it.
Similarlemon, dud
Note
12
distancenouncolloquialcountable
A fairly long distance to walk or travel.
The store is a good piece down the road.
We still have a piece to go before we reach town.
UsageSay a good piece down the road.
Similarway, distance, stretch
13
noununcountable
Weak or partial contact with a pitched ball, often making it go foul or get caught.
The batter got a piece of the ball and fouled it off.
He only got a piece of it, so the catch was easy.
UsageSay got a piece of the ball.
14
sex (vulgar)nounvulgarcolloquialUScountable
A casual sexual encounter, named in a crude and offensive way.
He left the bar early, still hoping to get a piece before the night ended.
All he wanted that night was a quick piece, not a girlfriend.
Note
15
drug ouncenounslangcountable
An ounce of an illegal drug, bought or sold in one lot.
He bought a whole piece, a full ounce, to sell in small bags.
She split the piece into twenty-eight one-gram bags.
Similarounce
Note
16
cannabis pipenounslangUScountable
A small pipe used for smoking marijuana.
He packed his piece and lit it out on the porch.
She packed her glass piece with weed and passed it to her friend.
Similarpipe
Note
17
wignouncolloquialCanadaUScountable
A wig or hairpiece, especially one worn by a man.
He adjusted his piece, smoothing the false hair over his forehead.
Her grandfather wears a piece to cover his bald spot.
UsageSay he wears a piece.
Similartoupee, wig, rug
18
personnounderogatorydatedcountable
A person, often talked about in an unkind or insulting way.
Grandmother called the neighbor's daughter a bold little piece.
"That new maid is a sly piece," the old cook muttered.
Note
19
noundialectalIrelandScotlandcountable
A slice of bread eaten by itself, or a small snack or sandwich.
Mom gave each child a piece with butter and jam.
My grandmother in Glasgow always gave us a jam piece after school.
UsageOften a jam piece or a piece and jam.
Similarsandwich, snack, slice
Note
20
eat between mealsverbdialectalUSintransitivewith on
To eat small bits of food between meals.
Don't piece before dinner or you'll spoil your appetite.
Do not piece between meals.
c. 1950, Kansas State Board of Health, Division of Maternal and Child Health Nutrition Service publicationHere, piece means to eat small bits of food between meals.
Similarnibble, snack, nosh
Note
21
graffiti muralverbslangtransitive
To paint a large, detailed work of graffiti, not just a quick signature.
The crew pieced the whole train car overnight.
Kids around here piece walls instead of just tagging them.
Note
22
pacifiernounUScountable
A rubber or plastic object that a baby sucks on to stay calm.
Similardummy, soother, pacifier, comforter, paci
23
rowingnouncountable
A set practice row used to test how well rowers perform.
The rowers pulled hard through a timed 2,000-meter piece on the river.
Their coach timed every piece during practice.
Note
24
castlenounobsolete
A castle or other strong, fortified building.
the ranſack of that peece
1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, peece means a castle or strong, fortified building.
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of piece apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It came through Old French from Late Latin petia, and may come from an old Gaulish word for a piece or portion.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Piece came through Old French from Late Latin petia (also pettia). en.wiktionary.org
Its possible earlier source is a Gaulish word meaning piece or portion. en.wiktionary.org