pile
Pile (noun) means a number of things heaped or stacked on top of each other. Example: “Dirty laundry formed a pile at the foot of the bed.”
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.
"Piles" as a plural noun is also informal British English for haemorrhoids — a completely different, unrelated sense.
Word forms
piled past tense, piled past tense, piled past tense, piles plural, piles plural, piles plural, piles plural, piles plural, Piles plural, piles singular, piles singular, piles singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Dirty laundry formed a _____ at the foot of the bed.
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.
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.