Piece and Peace Are Different Words Entirely
A piece is a portion of something larger. It is a homophone of peace, and the two have no shared origin.
A piece is a portion separated from a larger whole. *Peace* sounds identical and is unrelated: *piece* comes from Old French *pece*, probably from a Gaulish word for a fragment, while *peace* comes from Latin *pax*. The pair appear together in the idiom *say your piece*, meaning to speak your mind — it is a *piece*, a prepared speech, not *peace*. A piece is also a single work of art, a chess figure, and in older use a firearm.
- A portion. *A piece of cake.*
- A work of art or music. *A piano piece.*
- A chess figure. *Lost a piece.*
- Say your piece — speak your mind. *Say your piece.*
- Peace — the homophone. *Peace and quiet.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | piece | One piece. |
| Plural | pieces | In pieces. |
| Verb | piece | Piece it together. |
| Adjective | piecemeal | Piecemeal. |
| Homophone | peace | Peace. |
- Cut it into four pieces.Portion.
- He played a short piece.Music.
- Let him say his piece.Idiom.
Piece expressions
- A piece of cake — something easy
- Go to pieces — to lose composure
- Piece together — to reconstruct from fragments
- Of a piece — consistent with the rest
- Piecemeal — a bit at a time, from *meal*, a measure or portion
Old French *pece*, a fragment, probably from a Gaulish word. Unrelated to *peace*, which comes from Latin *pax*.
Is it say your piece or say your peace?
Say your piece. It refers to a piece of speech you have prepared, not to peace.
Are piece and peace related?
No. Piece is probably Gaulish through Old French; peace comes from Latin pax.