dice
UK[daɪs]US[daɪs]
n
a small cube with one to six spots on each face, used in games of chance.
v
to cut food into small cubes.
Etymology
the word "dice" originated as the plural of the older english word "die," which referred to the gaming cube. "die" itself entered middle english from old french "de," which came from latin "datum," meaning "something given or played," from the verb "dare" (to give). this reflects the concept of chance or fate being "given." the transition from "die" to "dice" as the standard singular form is a classic example of linguistic reanalysis, where a plural form loses its singular counterpart and takes on the singular meaning itself. the verb meaning "to cut into cubes" developed in the early 14th century, drawing a direct analogy to the shape of the gaming cubes.
Analysis
the word "dice" is a simplex form. it is a plural form that has been reanalyzed as a singular noun. its functional role is as a complete lexical unit.
Examples
we need one more dice to play the game.
she rolled the dice and got a double six.
dice the onions before adding them to the pan.