pile
pyl
Pile (noun) means a number of things heaped or stacked on top of each other. Example: “A pile of autumn leaves was waiting for the children to jump in.”
noun
1
A number of things heaped or stacked on top of each other.
"A pile of autumn leaves was waiting for the children to jump in."
"Dirty laundry formed a pile at the foot of the bed."
"He sorted the mail into three piles: bills, junk, and everything else."
2
Informally, a large amount, especially of money.
"He earned a pile from the sale of his flat and bought a farm."
"They must have spent a pile on that kitchen."
"She made a pile selling her old comic collection online."
3
A long beam or post driven deep into the ground to support a structure such as a building or pier.
"The old wooden pier stands on piles that have rotted at the base."
"Engineers checked each pile for cracks before approving the new jetty."
"Workers drove concrete piles into the riverbed before laying the bridge foundations."
verb
1
To heap things up, or to move as a group in a disorganised way.
"After the match, the players piled on top of the goalscorer in joy."
"They piled their coats on the spare chair."
"The whole family piled into the car for the trip."
How to use pile
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA heap of things, a large amount, a support beam driven into the ground, or (as a verb) to stack or crowd something up.
Common mistake
"Piles" as a plural noun is also informal British English for haemorrhoids — a completely different, unrelated sense.
Common pairings
a pile of laundry
pile up
driven piles
a pile of money
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Word forms
- Plural
- piles
- Third person singular
- piles
- Past tense
- piled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A _____ of autumn leaves was waiting for the children to jump in.
Etymology
From Old French pile, from Latin pīla, "pillar" or "pier" — the heaped-up and driven-post senses both trace back to this idea of a solid mass.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for pile
See all rhymes for pile →Frequently asked questions
What does “pile” mean?
The word “pile” means a number of things heaped or stacked on top of each other. In plain terms, a heap of things, a large amount, a support beam driven into the ground, or (as a verb) to stack or crowd something up.
How do you pronounce “pile”?
“Pile” is pronounced pyl (/paɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “pile” in a sentence?
Here is “pile” used in a sentence: “Dirty laundry formed a pile at the foot of the bed.”
What is another word for “pile”?
Words with a similar meaning to “pile” include pile up.
What part of speech is “pile”?
Depending on how it is used, “pile” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “pile” come from?
The word “pile” comes from Latin. From Old French pile, from Latin pīla, "pillar" or "pier" — the heaped-up and driven-post senses both trace back to this idea of a solid mass.
Is “pile” a common word?
“Pile” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “pile” have?
“Pile” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a number of things heaped or stacked on top of each other.
What is the difference between a pile and a heap?
Both refer to a number of things gathered on top of each other. A pile can be neat or messy, while a heap usually suggests a more disorderly, untidy mound of things thrown together.
What is the difference between a pile and a stack?
A pile is simply a number of things heaped together, often without much order. A stack implies items arranged neatly on top of one another, such as a stack of plates, so a stack is more organised than a general pile.
What is the difference between pile and pile up?
A pile is the noun for a number of things heaped or stacked together. To pile up is a phrasal verb meaning to accumulate or grow into a pile, as when bills or work pile up over time.
