pier

Inherited from Middle English pere (“bridge pillar, breakwater”), from either Anglo-Norman pere (“stone”, from Latin petra) or Old French *piere (Old Northern French pire, from either Late Latin *petricus or pēra "satchel"); compare Medieval Latin pira.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɪə/
• (Standard Southern British) IPA^(key): /pɪː/, /pɪjə/
• (General American) enPR: pîr, IPA^(key): /pɪɹ/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /piɾ/
• (East Anglia, cheer–chair merger) IPA^(key): /pɛː/
• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)
• Homophones: peer; pair, pare, pear (all cheer–chair merger)

pier (plural piers)

1. A raised platform built from the shore out over water, supported on piles; used to secure, or provide access to shipping; a jetty.

   Your boat is docked at the pier.

2. A similar structure, especially at a seaside resort, used to provide entertainment.

   There is a gaming arcade on the pier.

   • 1992, Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash, page 234:

     A fresh breeze comes off the water and down the pier.

   • 2023 March 22, Paul Clifton, “Network News: Island Line to reopen to Ryde Pier in June... possibly”, in RAIL, number 979, page 24:

     Ryde Pier's claim to fame is being the world's oldest seaside pleasure pier, with construction starting in 1813.

3. A structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge.
   • 1961 January, “Talking of Trains: The Severn Bridge disaster”, in Trains Illustrated, page 5:

     The force of the explosion demolished one pair of piers and two spans of the bridge crashed down into the river on top of the barges.

5. (architecture) A rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof, or the hinges of a gate.

   Coordinate term: pile

6. (aviation) A long corridor-like structure with multiple gates extending from an airport terminal.
   • 2019 April 2, “Manchester Airport opens new pier at Terminal 2”, in Airport Technology‎^[1]:

     The new £216m pier will be used by all airlines currently operating out of T2, with more and more flights gradually moving over to the new pier once it becomes fully operational.

• jetty
• mole
• wharf

• Peri, peri, peri-, prie, ripe

• Rhymes: -ir

• Audio:

  (file)

From Middle Dutch pier, probably from the name Pierre.

pier m (plural pieren, diminutive piertje n)

1. (zoology) a worm, earthworm

Borrowed from English pier.

pier m (plural pieren, diminutive piertje n)

1. (architecture) a pier, jetty

• → Papiamentu: pir

Unknown.

• piere (obsolete)

pier m (plural pieren, diminutive piertje n) (East and West Flanders)

1. (archaic) a physical trap
2. (archaic) a figurative trap, ambush
3. (archaic) a place one is trapped in:
   1. a prison
   2. a rabbit den

pier

1. inflection of pieren:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

• M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition) [Dutch dictionary in Dutch]

• prei
• riep

pier

1. first-person singular present passive subjunctive of piō

pier

1. (MS. Fairfax 3, Oxfordshire) alternative form of per (“peer”)

pier

1. (MS. Fairfax 3) alternative form of per (“equal”)

pier

1. first-person singular present indicative/subjunctive of pieri

• biera (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Puter, Vallader)

pier f (plural piers)

1. (Sutsilvan) beer, ale

• gervosa

• IPA^(key): /pɪ̯er/, [ˈpɪ̯er]
• Rhymes: -ɪ̯er

pier

1. genitive plural of pero
2. genitive plural of pera