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  • piper
    piper
    noun
    a person who plays on a pipe.
  • Piper
    Piper
    noun
    John. 1903–92, British artist. An official war artist in World War II, he is known esp for his watercolours of bombed churches and his stained glass in Coventry Cathedral

piper

American  
[pahy-per] / ˈpaɪ pər /

noun

pipers plural
  1. a person who plays on a pipe.

  2. a bagpiper.


idioms

  1. pay the piper,

    1. to pay the cost of something.

    2. to bear the unfavorable consequences of one's actions or pleasures.

      Someday he'll have to pay the piper for all that gambling.

piper 1 British  
/ ˈpaɪpə /

noun

  1. a person who plays a pipe or bagpipes

  2. to bear the cost of an undertaking and control it

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Piper 2 British  
/ ˈpaɪpə /

noun

  1. John. 1903–92, British artist. An official war artist in World War II, he is known esp for his watercolours of bombed churches and his stained glass in Coventry Cathedral

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

piper More Idioms  
  1. see call the tune (pay the piper).


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of piper

before 1000; Middle English; Old English pīpere. See pipe 1, -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Fiscal policy is one of the main potential hindrances for further rate cuts, said Nancy Lazar, chief economist at Piper Sandler.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026

The most recent season concluded with a cliffhanger, with the Fifteenth Doctor regenerating into a form resembling Rose Tyler, the companion portrayed by Billie Piper.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Piper spent 16 years with the Bears and was a key part of the club's treble-winning side in 1994.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

The calculations around the reserve have changed as the so-called shale revolution picked up speed in the 2010s, Piper Sandler’s Stuart said.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

Ever since his trip beneath Rome with Piper and Percy, fighting those twin giants in the hypogeum under the Colosseum, most of his nightmares were about basements, trapdoors, and large hamster wheels.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

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