slice

1 of 2

verb

sliced; slicing

transitive verb

1
: to cut with or as if with a knife
2
: to stir or spread with a slice
3
: to hit (a ball) so that a slice results
4
: interpret, construe
used in phrases like any way you slice it

intransitive verb

1
: to slice something
2
: to move with a cutting action
the ship sliced through the waves
sliceable adjective
slicer noun

slice

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a thin flat piece cut from something
b
: a wedge-shaped piece (as of pie or cake)
2
: a spatula for spreading paint or ink
3
: a serving knife with wedge-shaped blade
a fish slice
4
: a flight of a ball that deviates from a straight course in the direction of the dominant hand of the player propelling it
also : a ball following such a course compare hook
5

Examples of slice in a Sentence

Verb She sliced the lemon in half. He sliced open his finger while cleaning the fish. The knife sliced through the cake easily. Noun thin slices of roast beef The Fourth of July parade was a real slice of Americana. He hit a slice into the right rough.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
While the changes could slice real estate agent’s commissions, some agents are celebrating the new rules. Anna Bahney, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 The sugar beet is a root crop, which is sliced and processed down into sugar cane and molasses. Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024 Chill the cake for a minimum of 8 hours, and up to 2 days before slicing and serving. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 14 Mar. 2024 At their events for fashion brands like Loewe and Chanel, there are carrots sculpted into tiny nautilus shells, pickled daikon sliced into scalloped flowers and mini-zucchinis engraved with intricate patterns. Alexa Brazilian Kyoko Hamada, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 French cut green beans are haricots verts sliced horizontally, producing thinner strands of beans, if not the bodies of people who eat them by the pound. Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2024 The main course that arrives is a huge snake that’s sliced open to reveal other live snakes inside. Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2024 Wednesday is Wellington night, and Sunday is a chance to slice into prime rib. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Some people are slicing their shoes apart to walk barefoot in public. USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024
Noun
Here's where to get a slice for Pi Day Building up and pouring down Constructed in 1972, the Chase Tower stands as the tallest building in Phoenix. Kira Caspers, The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 Slice each steak and place on the yogurt, inserting a slice of apple between each slice. Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024 Grimaldi's Pizza: $3.14 slices on Pi Day Grimaldi’s has giant pizza slices for $3.14 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Pi Day. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024 These astronauts were looking down, watching our planet darken, but the exciting research potential of total solar eclipses, says William Stefanov, NASA’s Exploration Science Office’s branch chief, to Smithsonian magazine, comes from observing—with proper protection—the barely visible slice of sun. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2024 The Brix crew also threw in a slice of their fan-favorite porchetta. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024 Ferrari managed the project herself, acquiring the slice of land with crumbling stone walls from a family who had owned it for many years, then merging it with her own property. Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024 Mauricio’s Pizza sold pies by the slice alongside pasta, breadsticks and salad. The Indianapolis Star, 29 Feb. 2024 Luxurious, comfortable sheet cakes are the moment: a little messy, sold ad hoc by the slice or the cake, made in home kitchens. Annemarie Dooling, USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slice.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sklicen, from Anglo-French esclicer to splinter, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German slīzan to tear apart — more at slit

Noun

Middle English sclise, slise, from Anglo-French esclice splinter, from esclicer

First Known Use

Verb

1551, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of slice was in 1551

Dictionary Entries Near slice

Cite this Entry

“Slice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slice. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

slice

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a thin flat piece cut from something
a slice of bread
b
: a wedge-shaped piece (as of pie or cake)
2
: the flight of a ball curving to the right when hit by someone right-handed or to the left when hit by someone left-handed

slice

2 of 2 verb
sliced; slicing
1
a
: to cut with or as if with a knife
b
: to cut something into slices
2
: to hit a ball so that a slice results
slicer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on slice

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