piste
Americannoun
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pistes
plural
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a track or trail, as a downhill ski run or a spoor made by a wild animal.
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(in fencing) a regulation-size strip, usually 2 meters wide and 14 meters long, on which fencers compete.
noun
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a trail, slope, or course for skiing
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a rectangular area for fencing bouts
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of piste
1720–30; < French: animal track < Italian pista, pesta, noun derivative of pestare to pound, crush < Vulgar Latin, frequentative of Latin pī ( n ) sere; cf. pestle
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.
See Examples For:
The pilot of a multimillion-dollar Ferrari 499P Modificata also went off piste.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
Disgusted, McGrath hurled his poles over the safety netting that lined the Stelvio piste, with nearby Swiss team members embracing each other in celebration.
From Barron's ● Feb. 16, 2026
In snowy conditions in Bormio, the 25-year-old delivered a masterclass on the Stelvio piste to beat Swiss great Marco Odermatt to gold by 0.58 seconds, with Odermatt's team-mate Loic Meillard taking bronze.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
She was winched off the piste by a rescue helicopter and is being treated in a hospital in Treviso.
From Barron's ● Feb. 9, 2026
La piste is an imaginary line upon which the horse is made to walk.
From New Method of Horsemanship Including the Breaking and Training of Horses, with Instructions for Obtaining a Good Seat. by F. Baucher
If there is still a danger of avalanches, pistes can be closed off, as has happened during the recent warnings.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
After custom-made pistes at the last two Olympics in Beijing and Pyeongchang, Milan-Cortina organisers have used existing facilities.
From Barron's ● Feb. 5, 2026
Yes, St. Moritz hosts tremendous pistes like the Hahnensee run.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 3, 2025
Many are using snow machines to make artificial pistes, leaving thin white lines snaking through otherwise green and brown landscapes.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 7, 2023
He will also commence the exercise de deux pistes at a walk, as well as the rotation of the shoulders around the haunches.
From New Method of Horsemanship Including the Breaking and Training of Horses, with Instructions for Obtaining a Good Seat. by F. Baucher
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