What does slice mean?
A slice is a thin, usually flat piece cut from a larger object, most commonly food such as bread, cheese, fruit, or pizza. The word can also refer to a limited portion of something larger, as in "a slice of the market" or "a slice of the profits." As a verb, slice describes cutting something into thin pieces, but it can also mean reducing a price, cost, or budget by a limited amount. In golf and motor racing, a slice is a ball or vehicle that travels with a pronounced sideways curve. The word is flexible because it can describe an actual piece, a metaphorical share, or the act of dividing something. It is usually neutral in tone, although figurative financial expressions can sound informal or idiomatic. For clarity, a slice is generally broader and flatter than a sliver, which is very thin and narrow.
A thin, usually flat piece cut from food or another material; a portion or share of something; or a sideways-curving path in a sport.
"He took a large slice of the pizza and ate it with a fork."
The financial sense is idiomatic, while the sporting sense is technical.
To cut something into thin, flat pieces; to reduce an amount by a limited portion; or to move with a pronounced sideways curve.
"The manufacturer sliced prices in an effort to attract more customers."
The verb is transitive in the sense of cutting or reducing and intransitive in the sporting sense.
The standard countable plural is "slices."
"The loaf was cut into twelve thick slices."
From lunch to boardrooms: one slice can be a piece of bread or a share of a company.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does slice come from?
The word dates from Middle English, appearing in the fourteenth century in the sense of a piece or slab. It was borrowed through Old French from a word recorded as "slise." The ultimate origin of the Old French form is uncertain, so stronger claims about a particular Latin or Greek source would be speculative.
Related word forms
How slice is actually used
The literal sense is neutral and common in both British and American English. Expressions such as "a slice of the market" are idiomatic and slightly informal in business contexts, while the sporting senses are technical.
Easily confused with slice
A slice is generally a broad, flat piece, whereas a sliver is a very thin, narrow fragment.