slice

American  

[slahys] / slaɪs /

noun

1. a thin, flat piece cut from something.

   a slice of bread.

2. a part, portion, or share.

   a slice of land.

3. 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.

4. Sports.

   1. 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.

   2. a ball describing such a path.

5. Tennis. a stroke executed by hitting down on the ball with an underhand motion and thus creating backspin.

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verb (used with object)

sliced, slicing

1. to cut into slices; divide into parts.

2. to cut through or cleave with or as if with a knife.

   The ship sliced the sea.

3. to cut off or remove as a slice or slices (sometimes followed by off, away, from, etc.).

4. to remove by means of a slice, slice bar, or similar implement.

5. Sports. to hit (a ball) so as to result in a slice.

verb (used without object)

sliced, slicing

1. to slice something.

2. to admit of being sliced.

3. Sports.

   1. (of a player) to slice the ball.

   2. (of a ball) to describe a slice in flight.

slice British  

/ slaɪs /

noun

1. a thin flat piece cut from something having bulk

   a slice of pork

2. a share or portion

   a slice of the company's revenue

3. any of various utensils having a broad flat blade and resembling a spatula

4. 1. the flight of a ball that travels obliquely because it has been struck off centre

   2. the action of hitting such a shot

   3. the shot so hit

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verb

1. to divide or cut (something) into parts or slices

2. to cut in a clean and effortless manner

3. to move or go (through something) like a knife

   the ship sliced through the water

4. to cut or be cut (from) a larger piece

5. (tr) to remove by use of a slicing implement

6. to hit (a ball) with a slice

7. (tr) rowing to put the blade of the oar into (the water) slantwise

slice Idioms  

1. In addition to the subsequent idiom beginning with slice, also see greatest thing since sliced bread; no matter how you slice it.

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Other Word Forms

• preslice verb (used with object)
• sliceable adjective
• slicer noun
• slicingly adverb
• unsliced adjective

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 ( 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

And of course, stop for a slice of sachertorte.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Returning to either tour requires eating a slice of humble pie and, for some, paying a fortune to sweeten the deal.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

No matter how you slice it, U.S. stocks seem to be already moving past the Iran conflict.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

Investors in the Invesco ETF get more exposure to the smaller names in the S&P 500, giving it a value tilt without abandoning the large-cap style or focusing on a narrower slice of the market.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

I slice one of them, but another encircles my legs and closes them tight.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Related Words

• carve
• cleave
• divide
• hack
• sever
• shave
• shred
• slash
• slit
• split
• strip