VocabauraVOCABAURA

piece

noun · verb

Simple meaning

A separate part of a whole.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

pees
US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈpis

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. A separate part of a whole

  2. A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form that it is able to be separated from other parts.

  3. A single item belonging to a class of similar items.

  4. chess

    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.

  5. A coin, especially one valued at less than the principal unit of currency.

  6. A musical work that has been created

verb

  1. To make, enlarge, or repair, by the addition of a piece or pieces; to patch; often with out.

  2. transitiveusually with together

    To assemble (something real or figurative).

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
A1 · Beginner (estimated)
Frequency
Very Common
Typical Use
General English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: A separate part of a whole

Used this way, piece is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
Matter-of-fact
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use piece

  • “He wrote an interesting piece on Iran.”noun
  • “He designed a new piece of equipment.”noun
  • “It was a nice piece of work.”noun

Share your sentence

Write your own example sentence using “piece”. We review each one before it appears.

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

Separate

particular piece

Single

single piece

Work

first piece

Other combinations

small piecelarge piecenew piece

Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.

Similar Words, What’s the Difference?

Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.

  • composition

    The spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole.

  • part

    A fraction of a whole.

  • bit

    A small fraction above a whole number.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • piece goodsnounCompound term

    Merchandise in the form of fabrics sold by the yard.

  • piece of assnounCompound term

    Slang for sexual intercourse.

  • piece of cakenounCompound term

    Any undertaking that is easy to do.

  • piece of clothnounCompound term

    A separate part consisting of fabric.

  • piece of eightnounCompound term

    An old silver Spanish coin.

  • piece of furniturenounCompound term

    Furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: to make or enlarge or or repair

patch

Antonyms

Sense: to make or enlarge or or repair

break updismantledisassemble

Use This Word

See how this word sounds in a real sentence.

Ask Vocabaura

Understand the word your way.

What Does It Mean Here?

Words can change meaning depending on context.

Related Learning

Guides that use this word in context.

Use it yourself

Knowing “piece” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.

Know the meaning? Practice using it in a real situation, free, no credits.

Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.