Slice

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /slaɪs/

Definitions

1. A thin, flat piece cut from a larger object or portion of something
2. A portion that has been removed from a larger item by making a cut, often resulting in a thin, flat surface useful for serving or preparation purposes
3. A narrow, usually flat section cut from a larger entity, typically used for consumption or presentation purposes

Etymology: The noun "slice" began as a splitting word. Middle English "sclise" and "sklise" came from Old French "esclice" and "esclis," meaning "a piece split off," a noun formed from the verb "esclicier," "to splinter." That verb traces back to a Frankish form, "slitjan," meaning "to split up," which descends from a Germanic root meaning "to split" or "tear apart." So the thin, neat wedge of bread or cheese you cut today carries a much rougher idea of breaking and tearing. The same root sits behind the English "slit," which shares its ancestry with the Old English verb "slītan," "to split up." The word is therefore a close relative of "slit" rather than a borrowing that arrived with a new meaning. Both words came from the same Germanic stem, which split into a cutting sense in English and a splintering sense in French.

Synonyms: cut, portion, piece, segment, shard

Antonyms: whole, entirety