pie en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English pye, pie, pey (“baked dish, filled pastry”), possibly attested earlier (c. 1199) in the surname Piehus (“pie-house?”). Further origin uncertain. Relation to Middle English pie, pye (“magpie”) has been suggested due to correspondences between other similar foods and the names of birds (compare haggis (“Scottish dish”) and haggess (“magpie”); and chewet (“meat pie”) and chewet (“chough, jackdaw”); however, the baked dish may instead be named after a creator with the surname Pie, a common name at the time. The surname is ultimately derived from the bird above, and thus from Old French pie, from Latin pīca (“magpie”). If true, then doublet of speight.
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A type of pastry that consists of an outer crust and a filling. (Savory pies are more popular in the UK and sweet pies are more popular in the US, so "pie" without qualification has different connotations in these dialects.)
The family had steak and kidney pie for dinner and cherry pie for dessert.
SATURNINUS: Go fetch them hither to us presently. TITUS: Why, there they are, both baked in that pie, Whereof their mother daintily hath fed, Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred.
c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
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(countable, uncountable) Any of various other, non-pastry dishes that maintain the general concept of a shell with a filling.
Shepherd's pie is made of mince covered with mashed potato.
- (Northeastern, US, countable, uncountable) A pizza.
- (countable, uncountable) A paper plate covered in cream, shaving foam or custard that is thrown or rubbed in someone’s face for comical purposes, to raise money for charity, or as a form of political protest; a custard pie; a cream pie.
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(countable, figuratively, uncountable) The whole of a wealth or resource, to be divided in parts.
It is easier to get along when everyone, more or less, is getting ahead. But when the pie is shrinking, social groups are more likely to turn on each other.
2010 December 4, Evan Thomas, “Why It’s Time to Worry”, in Newsweek:
- (countable, uncountable) An especially badly bowled ball.
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(countable, uncountable) A pie chart.
Pies are best for comparing the components of only one or two totals.
1986, Carolyn Sorensen, Henry J. Stock, Department of Education Computer Graphics Guide, page 8:
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(countable, informal, uncountable) Something very easy; a piece of cake.
Programmers haven't exactly been wild about certain Microsoft policies — such as the price of the OS/2 developer's kit or the fib about how Microsoft Windows code would be pie to translate to the Presentation Manager.
1989, PC Mag, volume 8, number 5, page 91:
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(countable, slang, uncountable) The vulva.
"Yeah, take it off!" "SHOW US YOUR PIE!" The brunette opened the catch on her G-string and let the sequinned cloth slip down, teasing them with it.
1981, William Kotzwinkle, Jack in the Box:Yeah, some guys like to eat the old hairy pie. Women, too, or so I've heard.
2010, W. A. Moltinghorne, Magnolia Park, page 238:
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(countable, slang, uncountable) A kilogram of drugs, especially cocaine.
My weed smoke is my lye, a ki of coke is a pie / When I'm lifted I'm high, with new clothes on I'm fly
[1998 October 18, “Ebonics”performed by Big L:I love the cutie pies, never the zootie pies
1999 July 13, “Discipline”performed by Gang Starr ft. Total:Did fed time outta town pie flipper / Turn Cristal into a crooked-I sipper
1997 January 3, “Can't Nobody Hold Me Down”performed by Sean Combs ft. Mase:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| pies | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Boston cream pie · bran pie · pie server · pielike · mud pie · pie crust · hand pie · Chinese pie · cutie-pie · custard pie · pie thrower · hot pie · slice of the pie · resurrection pie · pigeon pie · cap-à-pie · Christmas Pie · shepherdess pie · lamb pie · Kate and Sydney pie · icebox pie · piedish · cherry pie · pork pie hat · whoopie pie · angel pie · aloo pie · apple pie · sugar pie · dirt pie · water pie · Bob Andy pie · humble pie · pie vent · pie in the sky · sugarpie · lemon meringue pie · pieplant · nice as pie · pie menu · I like pie · piewoman · cowpie · pie supper · pieboy · pot pie · eat humble pie · tamale pie · bean pie · shepherd's pie · custard-pie · piemaker · pot-pie · shepherds pie · piece of the pie · tomato pie · pie-eater · Yorkshire pie · poacher's pie · frankenpie · stargazey pie · Australian as a meat pie · umble pie · cow pie · banoffee pie · shred pie · Strasbourg pie · cutie pie · Strasburg pie · pyet · pie-dish beetle · pie chest · pie cart · funeral pie · pie warmer · pie tin · squab pie · treepie · Key lime pie · Kate and Sidney pie · pie hole · honeypie · slice the pie · white pie · piecake · Montgomery pie · fly pie · impossible pie · Twelfth Night pie · apple-pie order · half-pie · pie funnel · picnic pie · pecan pie · sweetie pie · piecaken · party pie · gamekeeper's pie · steak and kidney pie · pie pan · sugar cream pie · pumpkin pie · stand pie · horned pie · like flies on pie · apple-pie bed · pumpion pie · English as apple pie · pie plant · pie chart · pie iron · Snickers pie · chess pie · snake and pygmy pie · pie-faced · maggoty-pie · sea-pie · pieface · flapper pie · twelfth pie · black bottom pie · cottage pie · pie graph · pudding pie · porky pie · homity pie · cap-a-pie · mud pie argument · whoopee pie · pumpkin pie spice · refrigerator pie · butter pie · pie-wipe · pieing · Scotch pie · stargazy pie · choco pie · fisherman's pie · pigeon-pie · Périgord pie · mom and apple pie · possum pie · pake · tin roof pie · buko pie · piehole · pie car · shepherdless pie · Eskimo pie · Devon pie · transparent pie · grasshopper pie · by cock and pie · pie baking · mincemeat pie · pie-eyed · Frito pie · blueberry pie · fidget pie · Devizes pie · pity pie · pie whistle · Mississippi mud pie · potpie · pork pie · rappie pie · apple-pie · pie chimney · piefight · mince pie · pie-baking · pizza pie · piet · motherhood and apple pie · Washington pie · battalia pie · Cumberland pie · cream pie · pie bed · vinegar pie · Pyrex · pie bird · pie rule · Christmaspie · fried pie · lumber pie · pie fork · plum pie · shoofly pie · pyot · American as apple pie · tadago-pie · shell pie · fur pie · pieshop · football pie · who ate all the pies · Christmas pie · Grosvenor pie · Karelian pie · pie safe · easy as pie · Killie pie · piecard · pie-hole · hair pie · pie off · American pie · finger in the pie · pie wagon · pieman · fry pie · pie floater · have one's fingers in many pies · pie-chucker · Hoosier pie · Woolton pie · meat pie · macaroni pie · Jack Horner pie · gala pie · finger pie · shoo-fly pie · moon pie · pie plate · piemaking · pie house · share of the pie · black-bottom pie · sweet as pie · pieless · chiffon pie · pie-in-the-sky
Descendants
pai · פּײַ · pai · paja · paj · pai · pai · 파이 · pay · פַּאי · pàidh · пай · pae · pei · 批 · پای · パイ
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (128)
nl taart (type of pastry) · yi פּיראָג (type of pastry) · kw hogen (type of pastry) · lt pyragas (type of pastry) · ro plăcintă (type of pastry) · rup plãtsintã (type of pastry) · twf pòstaléna (type of pastry) · cmn 排 (type of pastry) · nl pastei (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · nn pai (type of pastry) · sh pita (type of pastry) · ru пиро́г (type of pastry) · ga pióg (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · grc φυστή (type of pastry) · fi torttu (type of pastry) · la placenta (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · yi פּײַ (type of pastry) · izh piirakka (type of pastry) · eo buĥto (slang: vulva) · ky пирог (type of pastry) · cmn 派 (type of pastry) · pl ciasto (type of pastry) · nv masdéél (type of pastry) · io tarto (type of pastry) · be піро́г (type of pastry) · az piroq (type of pastry) · pt tarte (type of pastry) · de Pastete (type of pastry) · fi pipari (slang: vulva) · he פַּשְׁטִידָה (type of pastry) · it crostata (type of pastry) · de Torte (type of pastry) · da tærte (type of pastry) · fr gâteau (whole of wealth or resource) · es pastel (type of pastry) · nb pai (type of pastry) · el πίτα (whole of wealth or resource) · af pastei (type of pastry) · bg пай (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · mt torta (type of pastry) · gl torta (type of pastry) · gl empanada (type of pastry) · la crustum (type of pastry) · es pai (type of pastry) · et pirukas (type of pastry) · tg санбӯса (type of pastry) · chr ᎨᎵᏥᎩ (type of pastry) · lv pīrāgs (type of pastry) · th พาย (type of pastry) · mn бялуу (type of pastry) · fi piiras (type of pastry) · fi kakku (whole of wealth or resource) · eo torto (type of pastry) · fi pasteija (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · el πίτα (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · ko 파이 (type of pastry) · ca pastís (type of pastry) · bg пай (type of pastry) · it pasticcio (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · sk koláč (type of pastry) · chy tó'hovȧhonoo'o (type of pastry) · xal бөрг (type of pastry) · mh bae (type of pastry) · apw báń łikane (type of pastry) · fi ripsipiirakka (slang: vulva) · el πίτα (type of pastry) · cy pei (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · fa پای (type of pastry) · kk бәліш (type of pastry) · ja パイ (type of pastry) · bg пиро́г (type of pastry) · ga pióg (type of pastry) · it torta (type of pastry) · fi piirakka (type of pastry) · sk piroh (type of pastry) · izh piiras (type of pastry) · fi rohmu (pejorative: gluttonous person) · de but see Kuchen (type of pastry) · id kue pai (type of pastry) · es pay (type of pastry) · yue 批 (type of pastry) · hu pite (type of pastry) · nl pastei (type of pastry) · tr turta (type of pastry) · fi piiras (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · fr tourte (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · nl taart (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · eo torto (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · es tarta (type of pastry) · uk пирі́г (type of pastry) · kk пирог (type of pastry) · he תַּמְלִיא (type of pastry) · is baka (type of pastry) · fr tarte (type of pastry) · eo piĉo (slang: vulva) · he פַּאי (type of pastry) · sv paj (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · mk ко́мад (type of pastry) · bn পাই (type of pastry) · bg лакомник (pejorative: gluttonous person) · tt бәлеш (type of pastry) · pl placek (type of pastry) · ru пирожо́к (type of pastry) · sl pita (type of pastry) · cmn 餡餅 /馅饼 (type of pastry) · ru беля́ш (type of pastry) · cs koláč (type of pastry) · kw hoggan (type of pastry) · hy կարկանդակ (type of pastry) · tl kakanin (type of pastry) · sh пита (type of pastry) · nv biiʼ sitłéʼé (type of pastry) · fy taart (type of pastry) · cy pei (type of pastry) · tg пирог (type of pastry) · cy pastai (type of pastry) · sv paj (type of pastry) · sq byrek (type of pastry) · mh bae (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · gd pàidh (type of pastry) · uz pirog (type of pastry) · ar فَطِيرَة (type of pastry) · mk пи́та (type of pastry) · ms pai (type of pastry) · grc ἐρείκιον (type of pastry) · ba бәлеш (type of pastry) · fi piirakka (nonpastry dish resembling a pie) · mhn turt (type of pastry)