noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/pɪə/
British, Southern, Standard:/pɪː/
British, Southern, Standard:/pɪjə/
General-American:pîr
General-American:/pɪɹ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Scotland:/piɾ/
/pɛː/East Anglia, cheer–chair merger
rhymes with -ɪə(ɹ)
homophone: peer
homophone: pair
homophone: pare
homophone: pear (all cheer–chair merger)
CMU ARPABET:P IH1 R
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A raised platform built from the shore out over water, supported on piles; used to secure, or provide access to shipping; a jetty.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Your boat is docked at the pier.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A similar structure, especially at a seaside resort, used to provide entertainment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
There is a gaming arcade on the pier.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof, or the hinges of a gate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: architecture
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A long corridor-like building with multiple gates extending from an airport terminal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: wharf, wharfage, dock
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: platform
Narrower terms: levee, quay
7
noun
Meaning 7
a support for two adjacent bridge spans
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: support
8
noun
Meaning 8
(architecture) a vertical supporting structure (as a portion of wall between two doors or windows)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: support
History
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English pere (“bridge pillar, breakwater”), from either Anglo-Norman pere (“stone”, from Latin petra) or Old French *piere (Old Northern French pire, from either Late Latin *petricus or pēra "satchel"); compare Medieval Latin pira.
Across languages
Translations
162 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
رَصِيف
(raṣīf)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Armenian:
պիրս
(pirs)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Armenian:
կառանացից
(kaṙanacʻicʻ)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Asturian:
cai
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Asturian:
muelle
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Azerbaijani:
iskele
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Azerbaijani:
pirs
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Belarusian:
пры́стань
(prýstanʹ)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Belarusian:
пірс
(pirs)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Bengali:
জেটি
(jeṭi)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Bulgarian:
при́стан
(prístan)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Bulgarian:
кей
(kej)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Burmese:
ဆိပ်
(hcip)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Catalan:
moll
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Chinese Mandarin:
碼頭 /码头
(mǎtóu)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Czech:
molo
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Danish:
mole
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Dutch:
pier
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Esperanto:
piero
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Estonian:
kai
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Finnish:
laituri
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
French:
jetée
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Galician:
peirao
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Galician:
peirau
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Georgian:
პირსი
(ṗirsi)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Georgian:
ნავმისადგომი
(navmisadgomi)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
German:
Seebrücke
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
German:
Anlegestelle
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
German:
Kai
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Greek:
αποβάθρα
(apováthra)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Greek:
μώλος
(mólos)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Greek:
προβλήτα
(provlíta)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Hebrew:
מֵזַח
(mézakh)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Hindi:
घाट
(ghāṭ)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Hungarian:
móló
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Icelandic:
bryggja
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Irish:
cé
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Italian:
pontile
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Italian:
imbarcadero
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Italian:
molo
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Japanese:
桟橋
(sanbashi)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Japanese:
波止場
(hatoba)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Japanese:
埠頭
(futō)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Kalmyk:
пирстн
(pirstn)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Kazakh:
пирс
(pirs)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Khmer:
តីរវិថី
(təyraʔviʔthəy)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Korean:
교각
(gyogak)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Korean:
부두
(budu)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Kyrgyz:
пирс
(pirs)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Lao:
ທ່າ
(thā)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Latin:
mōlēs
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Latvian:
piestātne
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Latvian:
mols
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Ligurian:
meu
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Lithuanian:
molas
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Lithuanian:
pirsas
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Macedonian:
при́стан
(prístan)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Macedonian:
мост
(most)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Norman:
cauchie
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Norwegian Bokmål:
brygge
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Norwegian Nynorsk:
brygge
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Norwegian Nynorsk:
bryggje
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Persian:
اسکله
(eskele)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Polish:
pomost
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Polish:
molo
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Portuguese:
píer
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Portuguese:
cais
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Portuguese:
trapiche
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Russian:
при́стань
(prístanʹ)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Russian:
пирс
(pirs)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Russian:
прича́л
(pričál)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Russian:
мол
(mol)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Scottish Gaelic:
laimrig
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Serbo-Croatian:
пристаниште
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Serbo-Croatian:
pristanište
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Slovak:
mólo
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Spanish:
muelle
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Spanish:
embarcadero
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Spanish:
malecón
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Swedish:
brygga
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Swedish:
pir
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Tagalog:
piyer
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Tajik:
бандар
(bandar)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Tajik:
искала
(iskala)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Thai:
ท่า
(tâa)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Tibetan:
རླབས་རགས
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Turkish:
iskele
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Ottoman Turkish:
اسكله
(iskele)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Ottoman Turkish:
ریختم
(rıhtım)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Ukrainian:
при́стань
(prýstanʹ)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Ukrainian:
пірс
(pirs)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Urdu:
گھاٹ
(ghāṭ)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Uzbek:
pirs
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Uzbek:
pristan
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Uzbek:
iskala
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Vietnamese:
bến tàu
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Walloon:
djetêye
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Welsh:
pier
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Yiddish:
דאָק
(dok)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Yiddish:
מאָל
(mol)
— raised platform built from the shore out over water
Dutch:
pier
— similar structure used to provide entertainment
Finnish:
laituri
— similar structure used to provide entertainment
French:
jetée
— similar structure used to provide entertainment
Japanese:
桟橋
(sanbashi)
— similar structure used to provide entertainment
Polish:
molo
— similar structure used to provide entertainment
Swedish:
brygga
— similar structure used to provide entertainment
Welsh:
pier
— similar structure used to provide entertainment
Bulgarian:
пристан
(pristan)
— structure used to accommodate ships
Finnish:
laituri
— structure used to accommodate ships
French:
ponton
— structure used to accommodate ships
German:
Steg
— structure used to accommodate ships
German:
Bootssteg
— structure used to accommodate ships
Polish:
pirs
— structure used to accommodate ships
Scottish Gaelic:
laimrig
— structure used to accommodate ships
Swedish:
pir
— structure used to accommodate ships
Swedish:
brygga
— structure used to accommodate ships
Bulgarian:
опора
(opora)
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Czech:
pilíř
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Dutch:
pijler
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Dutch:
pyloon
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Esperanto:
piero
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Finnish:
pilari
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
French:
pile
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
German:
Brückenpfeiler
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Italian:
pilastro
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Italian:
pontile
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Japanese:
橋脚
(kyōkyaku)
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Korean:
교각
(gyogak)
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Norwegian:
brupilar
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Polish:
filar
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Portuguese:
pilar
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Russian:
сва́я
(svája)
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Russian:
бык
(byk)
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Spanish:
pilar (de puente)
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Swedish:
bropelare
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Tibetan:
ཟམ་པའོ་ཀ་བ
(zam pa'o ka ba)
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Tibetan:
ཟམ་པའི་རྐང་པ
(zam pa'i rkang pa)
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Tibetan:
ཟམ་པའི་ལྗིད་ལེན
(zam pa'i ljid len)
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Ukrainian:
бик
(byk)
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Walloon:
pilasse
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Walloon:
pilé
— structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge
Bulgarian:
коло́на
(kolóna)
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Bulgarian:
стълб
(stǎlb)
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Dutch:
zuil
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Dutch:
pijler
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Dutch:
pilaar
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Finnish:
pilari
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
French:
pilier
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
German:
Pfeiler
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Irish:
piara
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Italian:
pilastro
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Japanese:
柱
(hashira)
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Korean:
교각
(gyogak)
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Polish:
filar
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Portuguese:
pilastra
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Russian:
столб
(stolb)
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Russian:
просте́нок
(prosténok)
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Spanish:
pilar
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Swedish:
pelare
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Tibetan:
སྐྱོར་རྩིག
(skyor rtsig)
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Walloon:
pilé
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
Walloon:
pilasse
— rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof
