Pied Piper

Save This Word!

noun

the hero of a German folk legend, popularized in The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1842) by Robert Browning.

Sometimes pied piper . a person who induces others to follow or imitate them, especially by means of false or extravagant promises.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby Pied Piper

Piedmont, Piedmontese, piedmontite, pied noir, pie-dog, Pied Piper, pied-piping, Piedras Negras, pied shag, pied wagtail, pie-eyed

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Pied Piper in a sentence

He was the Pied Piper of life and brought joy to everyone he knew.
‘Dallas’ Star Larry Hagman Dead at 81|Jace Lacob|November 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Unfortunately, such considerations of purpose tend to be drowned out by the alluring, sweet-sounding tune of a pied piper.
The Man Who Gutted the Ivy League|Edward Jay Epstein|March 28, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The fowl walked slowly away with graceful dignity, and I followed like a child after the Pied Piper.
Sixes and Sevens|O. Henry
Mysterious and irresistible as the lure of the Pied Piper is the lure of this child who knows nothing of her own power.
The Heather-Moon|C. N. Williamson and A. M. Williamson

Gradually the rats, silent and leaping, passed away into the darkness, as though they heard the summons of a Pied Piper.
Dragon's blood|Henry Milner Rideout
They remember only that the bankiva sang sweetly, and they followed it, as the children of Hamelin followed the pied piper.
Myths & Legends of our New Possessions & Protectorate|Charles M. Skinner
He looked like an educated gawk, a rural genius, a pied piper of motley followers.
Children of the Market Place|Edgar Lee Masters

British Dictionary definitions for Pied Piper

Pied Piper

noun

Also called: the Pied Piper of Hamelin (in German legend) a piper who rid the town of Hamelin of rats by luring them away with his music and then, when he was not paid for his services, lured away its children

(sometimes not capitals) a person who entices others to follow him

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