pier
pier Lexical Profile
pier Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A structure built on posts extending from land out over water, used as a landing place for ships, an entertainment area, or a promenade.
"We walked along the wooden pier at sunset, watching the boats return to the harbor."
A solid support designed to sustain vertical pressure, typically a pillar or rectangular mass of masonry supporting an arch or a bridge.
"The massive stone piers of the bridge have withstood the river's rushing current for over a century."
Word Nuance & Usage
Be careful not to confuse 'pier' (a water structure or architectural support) with its homophone 'peer' (a person of equal standing, or the act of looking intently).
• Rhymes for pier
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'pere', derived from Old French 'pire' (breakwater), which likely traces back to Medieval Latin 'pera', possibly from Latin 'petra' meaning 'stone'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.