What does "piece" mean?
A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form that it is able to be separated from other parts.
Piece
/piːs/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Top 500 ·Elementary level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form that it is able to be separated from other parts.
- Grammar: piece is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: bit, composition, part, patch.
- Useful contrasts: whole entity, whole process, aggregate.
- Usage evidence: There is a piece of good news for you.
How to use "piece"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "piece" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "piece" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "piece" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "piece" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "piece" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bit" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "piece", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form that it is able to be separated from other parts.
"Near-synonyms: aspect, portion"
- 2 a portable gun wordnet
- 3 A single item belonging to a class of similar items.
"a piece of machinery"
- 4 game equipment consisting of an object used in playing certain board games wordnet
- 5 One of the figures used in playing chess, specifically a higher-value figure as distinguished from a pawn; (by extension) those with which draughts, backgammon, and other similar board games are played.
"Pawns, unlike pieces, move only in one direction: forward."
Show 29 more definitions
- 6 a work of art of some artistic value wordnet
- 7 A coin, especially one valued at less than the principal unit of currency.
"a sixpenny piece"
- 8 a separate part of a whole wordnet
- 9 An artistic creation, such as a painting, sculpture, musical composition, literary work, etc.
"She played two beautiful pieces on the piano."
- 10 an item that is an instance of some type wordnet
- 11 An article published in the press.
"Today's paper has an interesting piece on medical research."
- 12 a distance wordnet
- 13 An artillery gun.
"[…] all our Ammunition was spent. Those of us who had Money made Slugs of it; their next Shift was to take the middle Screws out of their Guns, and charge their Pieces with them."
- 14 an artistic or literary composition wordnet
- 15 A gun. US, colloquial
"He's packin' a piece!"
- 16 a musical work that has been created wordnet
- 17 A toupee or wig, especially when worn by a man. Canada, US, colloquial
"The announcer is wearing a new piece."
- 18 an instance of some kind wordnet
- 19 A slice or other quantity of bread, eaten on its own; a sandwich or light snack. Ireland, Scotland, UK, US, dialectal
"My grannie came and gived them all a piece and jam and cups of water then I was to bring them back out to the street and play a game."
- 20 a serving that has been cut from a larger portion wordnet
- 21 A sexual encounter; from piece of ass or piece of tail. US, colloquial, vulgar
"I got a piece at lunchtime."
- 22 a portion of a natural object wordnet
- 23 A shoddy or worthless object (usually applied to consumer products like vehicles or appliances). US, colloquial, mildly, vulgar
"Ugh, my new computer is such a piece. I'm taking it back to the store tomorrow."
- 24 a share of something wordnet
- 25 A cannabis pipe. US, slang
- 26 a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition wordnet
- 27 Used to describe a pitch that has been hit but not well, usually either being caught by the opposing team or going foul. Usually used in the past tense with get. uncountable
"he got a piece of that one; she got a piece of the ball[…]and it's going foul."
- 28 An individual; a person. dated, derogatory, sometimes
"If I had not been a piece of a logician before I came to him."
- 29 A castle; a fortified building. obsolete
"Then enteryng into league with Philip the French king, he receyued againe all the holdes and peeces which his father had loſt a little before, […]"
- 30 A pacifier; a dummy. US
- 31 A distance. colloquial
"a far piece"
- 32 A structured practice row, often used for performance evaluation.
"At practice we rowed four 5,000 meter pieces."
- 33 An amount of work to be done at one time; a unit of piece work.
- 34 An ounce of a recreational drug. slang
"In fact, that was back during the era when you could buy a piece of heroin, an ounce of heroin, for $500 and cut it three times for a 3-to-1 cut on it and the dope would still be good."
Verb
- 1 To assemble (something real or figurative). transitive, usually
"These clues allowed us to piece together the solution to the mystery."
- 2 repair by adding pieces wordnet
- 3 To make, enlarge, or repair, by the addition of a piece or pieces; to patch; often with out.
"to piece a garment"
- 4 eat intermittently; take small bites of wordnet
- 5 To produce a work of graffiti more complex than a tag. slang
"“It didn't rain, so I decided to come piece with you.[…]” We never finished that piece."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 join during spinning wordnet
- 7 To eat small quantities of food between meals; to snack; to take small or intermittent bites at a food item. dated, informal, intransitive, often, with-on
"There he was, piecing on the ham."
- 8 to join or unite the pieces of wordnet
- 9 create by putting components or members together wordnet
Example
"There is a piece of good news for you."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "piece"?
Common synonyms include: bit, composition, part, patch, portion, slice.
How do you use "piece" in a sentence?
There is a piece of good news for you.
How do you pronounce "piece"?
Pronounced /piːs/.
Etymology
From Middle English pece, peece, peice, from Old French piece, from Late Latin petia, pettia, possibly from Gaulish *pettyā, from Proto-Celtic *kʷezdis (“piece, portion, quota”). Compare Welsh peth, Breton pez (“thing”), Irish cuid. Compare French pièce, Portuguese peça, Spanish pieza, Italian pezza, Italian pezzo.