A thin, flat piece cut from something larger, like bread, cake, or pizza. It can also mean a share of something, such as “a slice of the profits.”
“Slice” comes from Old French “esclice,” meaning “a splinter” or “fragment,” from a verb meaning “to split.” English shifted it toward food and neat, flat pieces. The word kept the idea of cutting a whole into smaller parts.
When people argue about getting their “slice of the pie,” they’re using a food word for fairness and power. A slice is always part of something bigger, so it’s a perfect metaphor for money, time, or attention. Language loves turning kitchen actions into social politics.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.