slice
UK[slaɪs]US[slaɪs]
n
a thin, flat piece of food cut from a larger piece
n
a part or portion of something
v
to cut something into thin, flat pieces
v
to cut something easily with a sharp blade
Etymology
The word 'slice' entered English in the late 14th century from the Old French word 'esclice', meaning 'a splinter, a fragment'. This Old French term derived from the Frankish word 'slitjan', a verb meaning 'to split'. The Frankish root connects to the broader Proto-Germanic family, specifically the verb slitaną, which meant 'to tear, to split apart'. The core logic of the word has remained remarkably consistent: from the ancient concept of splitting or tearing something apart, it evolved in French and then English to specifically denote the action and result of cutting something into thin, flat pieces, a meaning that perfectly captures its modern culinary and figurative uses.
Analysis
The word 'slice' is a simplex word of French origin. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
She ate a slice of apple pie.
The report analyzes a large slice of the consumer market.
He carefully sliced the bread with a sharp knife.