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pièce

Pièce is a feminine French noun with several related senses. It can denote a part or component of something (a piece of a mechanism), a room in a dwelling (une pièce), or a work such as a play or a musical composition (une pièce musicale, une pièce de théâtre). In everyday language it can also refer to a coin when the context makes the meaning clear (une pièce de monnaie).

Etymology and forms: The word derives from Old French piece, itself from Latin pars meaning part. The

Common senses and phrases: In daily use, pièces often describe both tangible components and spatial rooms. In

Usage in English: English typically uses piece rather than pièce, except in borrowed or specialized contexts.

Overall, pièce is a versatile term linking everyday objects, architectural spaces, and artistic works, reflecting its

plural
is
pièces,
and
the
singular
is
used
for
both
abstract
parts
and
concrete
objects,
depending
on
context.
the
arts,
it
refers
to
a
theatrical
work
(pièce
de
théâtre)
or
a
musical
piece
(pièce
musicale).
Set
phrases
include
pièce
maîtresse
or
pièce
de
résistance
for
the
principal
feature,
pièce
montée
for
an
elaborate
decorative
arrangement,
and
pièce
unique
for
a
one-off
work
or
item.
The
term
also
appears
in
cataloging
and
production
contexts
to
denote
a
discrete
item
or
component.
The
accent-prefixed
form
appears
in
English
mainly
in
titles,
quotations,
or
when
discussing
French-language
works
and
phrases
such
as
piéce
de
résistance,
where
the
original
expression
is
retained.
In
French-language
texts,
pièce
covers
the
broad
range
of
meanings
from
room
to
part
to
work
of
art.
core
sense
of
a
discrete
unit
within
a
larger
whole.