piles
Britishplural noun
Etymology
Origin of piles
C15: from Latin pilae balls (referring to the appearance of external piles)
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.
People she met included a widow estranged from her adult children over financial woes, who stored piles of their belongings at their mother's home.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
He’d stand in the aisles overwhelmed by the Technicolor labels, the piles of Edenic produce, and the thought that his family — wherever they may be — might not be able to afford food.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
Mounting piles of garbage, stagnant water and a crumbling health system fueled outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses, further scaring away tourists.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
Others are land, often privately owned and in the countryside, which has been used to dump huge piles of rubbish.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
It’s like an entirely new home—fresh air, fewer piles, shiny tables.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
