pier

American  

[peer] / pɪər /

noun

• piers
  plural

1. a structure built on posts extending from land out over water, used as a landing place for ships, an entertainment area, a strolling place, etc.; jetty.

2. (in a bridge or the like) a support for the ends of adjacent spans.

3. a square pillar.

4. a portion of wall between doors, windows, etc.

5. a pillar or post on which a gate or door is hung.

6. a support of masonry, steel, or the like for sustaining vertical pressure.

7. a long passageway or corridor that extends from a central area of a building, especially one at an airport that leads to boarding gates.

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pier British  

/ pɪə /

noun

1. a structure with a deck that is built out over water, and used as a landing place, promenade, etc

2. a pillar that bears heavy loads, esp one of rectangular cross section

3. the part of a wall between two adjacent openings

4. another name for buttress

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underpier
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• piers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pier

before 1150; Middle English pere, earlier (perhaps late Old English ) per < Anglo-Latin pera, pēra pier of a bridge

Explanation

A pier is a platform reaching out to sea that can be used as a landing place for ships. If you enjoy sea fishing and don't have a boat, try casting your line from the end of the pier. Pier has two meanings. The most common is for the platform, often wooden, that extends over water away from shore, so that ships can dock. Many seaside towns have turned their piers into entertainment districts, with games and places to stroll. A pier can also be a pillar that supports a bridge.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pier piers

The waterfront residence boasts sweeping views of the bay, along with a private boathouse and pier.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

The shark made a few circles, leaving fishermen on the pier stunned.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

She was checking people in on the pier for a separate boat tour to Sazan on a replica galleon that advertises the opportunity to “be a pirate for a day.”

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

But when a delivery bot drives off a pier, or a humanoid faceplants while botching a dance move, people are seeing more than slapstick humor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

At the end of the pier, John Harvey was reeling in a big one.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

Shaking from a quake could damage wharves, piers, buildings and roadway above the seawall.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

It sits not on a foundation but on helical piers screwed into the ground.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

Havana Docks says the cruise companies have illegally profited from docks and piers that Fidel Castro seized after the Cuban Revolution.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

He said the team had painstakingly recreated recognisable elements of the town, such as the winding alleyways and the texture of the piers.

From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2026

All the piers around our little bay had disappeared under water, and only their piles or hand rails showed.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• dam
• dock
• jetty
• promenade
• wharf