pie
/paɪ/ IELTSAcademic
noun
- 1.
A pie is a baked food with a filling inside a pastry crust. It can be sweet, like apple pie, or savoury, like chicken pie.
- We had apple pie after dinner.
- She baked a chicken pie.
- This pie has a flaky crust.
- 2.
In informal British English, pie can mean a small round sweet pastry, often with a filling or topping. In some contexts, it can also mean a meat pie.
- I bought a pie from the bakery.
- He ate a meat pie at lunch.
- That shop makes good pies.
Adinary Nuance
Pie is broader than tart because pie usually has a deeper filling and a top or bottom crust. It is also different from cake, which is soft and made from batter, not pastry. In everyday speech, pie often suggests comfort food and home baking. Writers choose pie when the filling matters as much as the crust.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- bánh nướng
- Spanish
- pastel
- Chinese
- 派
- Japanese
- パイ
- Korean
- 파이
Etymology
Pie came into English from Old French in the Middle Ages. Its history is not fully certain, but it may be linked to the word for a pastry shell or a mixed dish.
Common phrases
apple piemeat piepie crustslice of pie
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between pie and tart?
- A pie usually has a deeper filling and often a crust on top and bottom. A tart is usually shallower and more delicate.
- Is pie a sweet or savoury food?
- It can be both. Sweet pies include apple pie, and savoury pies include chicken pie.
- Is pie a common word in British English?
- Yes, it is very common in British English, especially for savoury pies. It is also common in American English for dessert pies.
- How do I use pie in a sentence?
- You can say, 'She made a pie,' or 'We shared a slice of pie.'