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.
Proponents of the bill said it offers consumers a cheaper alternative that would mitigate rising gasoline prices, while stimulating demand for the piles of corn grown by U.S. farmers in recent years.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Bicycle parts were of particular interest, hence the tented “bike shops,” with piles of disassembled parts, so common in L.A. encampments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
When the BBC visited the site there were dozens of birds circling the piles of waste and no sign of an active investigation.
From BBC • May 10, 2026
As for Apollo, the alternative asset manager raised piles of fresh capital, grew its fees, and upped its dividend in the March quarter.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
Dead trees, charred black, some standing, some leaning like sticks, some in piles on the black ground.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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.
