piece English · revision 2626

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200 (Ancrene Riwle)|origins=cel-pro *kʷezdi-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /piːs/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|pece]], [[bor|fro|piece|t=piece, bit; item; coin]], also pece,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000)^(SOED 2002) from Vulgar Latin [[m|la-vul|*pettia]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) probably from Gaulish *pettsi:^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) compare Welsh [[m|cy|peth|t=thing]] and Breton pez “piece, a little”.^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(MWU 2024) Etymonline traces this to Old Celtic *kʷezd-i-, from [[ine-pro|*kʷezd-|alt=*kwezd-|t=a part, piece]].^(Etymonline) The Concise Oxford calls the ultimate origin obscure.^(COED 2004) The verb is from the noun.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “A part, portion, section”: probably before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle'',^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) or about 1200, “a fixed amount, measure”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A fragment of an object, a slice of meat, is from about 1300.^(Etymonline) The noun was also used of a person from about 1300, in modern use contemptuously, especially of a woman; the sense “a person regarded as a sex object” is by 1785.^(Etymonline) A coin is a piece from about 1400, hence ''piece of eight'', the Spanish dollar worth eight reals, from about 1600.^(Etymonline) A separate article forming part of a set is from about 1400, and a specimen or example from the 1560s.^(Etymonline) An artillery weapon is a piece from the 1540s, and a portable firearm from the 1580s.^(Etymonline) A man in a board game is from the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986) ''In one piece'' is by the 1580s and ''of a piece'' from the 1610s.^(Etymonline) The verb, “to mend by adding pieces”, is from about 1400, and “to put together” from the late 15th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – a part, portion.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – a fragment; a person.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – a coin; an item of a set; verb, to mend.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1540s – an artillery piece.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1580s – a firearm, and ''in one piece''.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – ''piece of eight''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1785 – a woman as a sex object.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A part separated from a whole; a [[fragment]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # One of a set or a class of things: ''a piece of furniture''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A work of art, music or writing.^(AHD)

+ # A [[coin]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A figure used in a board game.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+ # ''(informal)'' A gun.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # An instance or example: ''a piece of luck''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To join or put together: ''piece together''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To mend by adding pieces; to patch.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[piecer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[patch]]

+ * [[peat]]

+ * [[piecemeal]]

+ * [[masterpiece]]

+ * [[centrepiece]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}