pie
UK[paɪ]US[paɪ]
n
A baked dish of fruit, or meat and vegetables, typically with a top and base of pastry.
Etymology
The origin of the word 'pie' is obscure and debated. It first appeared in English in the 14th century. One prominent theory suggests it may derive from 'magpie', a bird known for collecting miscellaneous objects, by analogy with the dish's assortment of ingredients. Another possibility is a link to the Medieval Latin 'pica', a term for a collection of rules in book form, which itself came from the Latin word for magpie. Regardless of its precise path, the word has remained a simple, unanalyzable unit in modern English, directly naming a common baked dish.
Analysis
The word 'pie' is a simplex word. It is a Middle English word of uncertain origin, possibly related to the Medieval Latin 'pica' (referring to a collection of rules or a magpie, with the latter sense perhaps influencing the name of the dish due to the variety of ingredients).
Examples
She baked an apple pie for dessert.
Would you like a slice of chicken pot pie?
The restaurant is famous for its homemade meat pies.