slice
Americannoun
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a thin, flat piece cut from something.
a slice of bread.
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a part, portion, or share.
a slice of land.
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any of various implements with a thin, broad blade or part, as for turning food in a frying pan, serving fish at the table, or taking up printing ink; spatula.
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Sports.
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the path described by a ball, as in baseball or golf, that curves in a direction corresponding to the side from which it was struck.
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a ball describing such a path.
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Tennis. a stroke executed by hitting down on the ball with an underhand motion and thus creating backspin.
verb (used with object)
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to cut into slices; divide into parts.
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to cut through or cleave with or as if with a knife.
The ship sliced the sea.
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to cut off or remove as a slice or slices (sometimes followed by off, away, from, etc.).
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to remove by means of a slice, slice bar, or similar implement.
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Sports. to hit (a ball) so as to result in a slice.
verb (used without object)
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to slice something.
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to admit of being sliced.
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Sports.
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(of a player) to slice the ball.
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(of a ball) to describe a slice in flight.
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noun
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a thin flat piece cut from something having bulk
a slice of pork
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a share or portion
a slice of the company's revenue
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any of various utensils having a broad flat blade and resembling a spatula
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the flight of a ball that travels obliquely because it has been struck off centre
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the action of hitting such a shot
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the shot so hit
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verb
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to divide or cut (something) into parts or slices
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to cut in a clean and effortless manner
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to move or go (through something) like a knife
the ship sliced through the water
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to cut or be cut (from) a larger piece
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(tr) to remove by use of a slicing implement
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to hit (a ball) with a slice
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(tr) rowing to put the blade of the oar into (the water) slantwise
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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slicernoun
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unslicedadjective
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presliceverb (used with object)
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slicinglyadverb
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sliceableadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has slicedperfect 3rd person singular
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have slicedperfect
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has been slicingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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have been slicingperfect progressive
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are slicingprogressive
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is slicingprogressive 3rd person singular
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am slicingprogressive 1st person singular
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slicingparticiple
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slicessingular 3rd person
Past
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had slicedperfect
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were slicingprogressive plural
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was slicingprogressive singular
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had been slicingperfect progressive
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slicedparticiple
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slicedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of slice
1300–50; (noun) Middle English s ( c ) lice < Old French esclice, noun derivative of esclicer to split up < Frankish *slitjan, akin to Old English slītan, Old Norse slīta, Dutch slījten ( see slit); (v.) late Middle English sklicen < Old French esclicer
Explanation
A slice is a narrow piece or portion of something (particularly food), like a slice of bread or a slice of pizza. You can order a slice of cake or pie at your favorite bakery, or fry potatoes after cutting them into thin slices. Slice can also be used figuratively: "His brothers each own a slice of the business." The expression "slice of life" usually describes a realistic version of life that's depicted in a book, movie, or play. And in golfing, a slice is a stroke that makes the ball curve sharply to one side.
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.
Jeff Bezos appears set on taking a slice of Elon Musk’s space pie.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
The imaginary “occurring elephant” is just one spacelike slice of that tube; one three-dimensional moment.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
But because it is selling only a small slice of its shares, most indexes will give it smaller consideration.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
In Nottinghamshire, council officials have even suggested they should receive a slice of any money being made.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
Door eyed the remainder of Coal’s slice of pizza hungrily.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
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.
