Piece vs. Part — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 3, 2023
Piece refers to a fragment or section of something that can be seen as complete in itself. Part denotes a component of something that is necessary to the structure or function of the whole.
Difference Between Piece and Part
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A piece can often stand alone as a complete entity, not necessarily part of a larger whole, like a piece of art. On the other hand, a part typically implies that it is a segment of a larger mechanism or entity, such as a part of a machine, where each part works in unison with others for the machine to function properly.
When referring to a piece, it might be a single item from a collection, like a piece of a puzzle, which can be isolated without considering the whole. In contrast, when we refer to a part, it suggests an essential element of a larger system, like a part in a play, without which the performance might be incomplete.
The term piece also carries artistic connotations, as in a piece of music or a piece of writing, where the work is appreciated for its individuality and completeness. A part, however, is more functional, indicating a fraction that must operate within a larger context, such as a part of a team or a part of an assembly line.
In everyday language, piece can suggest a quantity or an instance, like a piece of cake or a piece of advice. Part, however, often refers to involvement or a role, as in taking part in an event or being part of a community, implying a sense of belonging or contribution to a greater sum.
Finally, piece is often used in contexts that are less technical and more general, such as a piece of information, while part is frequently used in technical contexts, emphasizing interconnectivity, like parts of a computer or parts of a legal contract.
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Comparison Chart
Independence
Can be independent and complete
Usually dependent, part of a whole
Functionality
Not necessarily functional
Often functional within a system
Connotation
Artistic, individual
Technical, integral
Quantity vs. Involvement
Implies quantity or instance
Suggests involvement or role
Usage Context
General, non-technical
Technical, specific
Compare with Definitions
Piece
An instance or item of a particular kind.
He played a beautiful piece on the piano.
Part
A component or element of a larger whole.
The engine part was replaced to fix the car.
Piece
A portion or serving of something.
Would you like another piece of pie?
Part
Involvement in an action or affair.
She took part in the marathon for charity.
Piece
A work of art, music, or writing.
The museum displayed pieces from its modern art collection.
Part
A portion, division, piece, or segment of a whole.
Piece
A portion of an object or of material, produced by cutting, tearing, or breaking the whole
A piece of cheese
The dish lay in pieces on the floor
Part
Any of several equal portions or fractions that can constitute a whole or into which a whole can be divided
A mixture of two parts flour to one part sugar.
Piece
A written, musical, or artistic creation
A haunting piece of music
Part
A division of a book or artistic work such as a film
A novel in three parts.
Piece
An instance or example
A crucial piece of evidence
Part
An organ, member, or other division of an organism
A tail is not a part of a guinea pig.
Piece
A coin of specified value
A 10p piece
Part
Parts The external genitals.
Piece
A figure or token used to make moves in a board game
A chess piece
Part
A component that can be separated from or attached to a system; a detachable piece
Spare parts for cars.
Piece
A firearm.
Part
Often parts A region, area, land, or territory
"Minding your own business is second nature in these parts" (Boston).
Piece
A woman.
Part
A role
He has the main part in the play.
Piece
A sandwich or other item of food taken as a snack.
Part
One's responsibility, duty, or obligation; share
We each do our part to keep the house clean.
Piece
Assemble something from parts or pieces
The dinosaur was pieced together from 119 bones
Part
Parts Abilities or talents
A person of many parts.
Piece
Extend something
His coming and assisting them was like a cordial given to a dying man, which doth piece out his life
Part
The music or score for a particular instrument, as in an orchestra.
Piece
Patch (something)
If it be broken it must be pieced
Part
One of the melodic divisions or voices of a contrapuntal composition.
Piece
A thing considered as a unit or an element of a larger thing, quantity, or class; a portion
A piece of string.
Part
The line where the hair on the head is parted.
Piece
A portion or part that has been separated from a whole
A piece of pie.
Part
To cause to move apart; put apart
Parted the curtains.
Piece
An object that is one member of a group or class
A piece of furniture.
Part
To divide into two or more parts; split
The ship's prow parted the waves.
Piece
An artistic, musical, or literary work or composition
"They are lively and well-plotted pieces, both in prose" (Tucker Brooke).
Part
To break up the relationship or association of
A dispute over ownership parted the founders of the business.
Piece
An instance; a specimen
A piece of sheer folly.
Part
To comb (hair, for example) away from a dividing line, as on the scalp.
Piece
What one has to say about something; an opinion
Speak one's piece.
Part
To go away from; depart from
He parted this life for a better one.
Piece
A coin
A ten-cent piece.
Part
(Archaic) To divide into shares or portions.
Piece
One of the counters or figures used in playing various board games.
Part
To be divided or separated
The curtain parted in the middle.
Piece
Any one of the chess figures other than a pawn.
Part
To move apart
Her lips parted, and she spoke.
Piece
(Slang) A firearm, especially a rifle.
Part
To leave one another; take leave
They parted as friends.
Piece
(Informal) A given distance
"There was farm country down the road on the right a piece" (James Agee).
Part
To go away from another; depart
She parted from him at college graduation.
Piece
To mend by adding pieces or a piece to
Piece a dress.
Part
(Archaic) To die.
Piece
To join or unite the pieces of
He pieced together the vase. She pieced together an account of what had gone on during the stormy meeting.
Part
To separate or divide into ways going in different directions
The road parts about halfway into the forest.
Piece
A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form that it is able to be separated from other parts.
I’d like another piece of pie.
I've lost a piece of this jigsaw puzzle.
Part
To disagree or stop associating because of a disagreement
The committee parted over the issue of pay raises for employees.
Piece
A single item belonging to a class of similar items.
A piece of machinery
A piece of software
A useful piece of advice
Part
Partially; in part
Part yellow, part green.
Piece
(chess) One of the figures used in playing chess, specifically a higher-value figure as distinguished from a pawn; by extension, a similar counter etc. in other games.
Part
Not full or complete; partial
A part owner of the business.
Piece
A coin, especially one valued at less than the principal unit of currency.
A sixpenny piece
Part
A portion; a component.
Piece
An artistic creation, such as a painting, sculpture, musical composition, literary work, etc.
She played two beautiful pieces on the piano.
Part
A fraction of a whole.
Gaul is divided into three parts.
Piece
An article published in the press.
Today's paper has an interesting piece on medical research.
Part
A distinct element of something larger.
The parts of a chainsaw include the chain, engine, and handle.
Piece
(military) An artillery gun.
Part
A group inside a larger group.
Piece
A gun.
He's packin' a piece!
Part
Share, especially of a profit.
I want my part of the bounty.
Piece
A toupee or wig, especially when worn by a man.
The announcer is wearing a new piece.
Part
A unit of relative proportion in a mixture.
The mixture comprises one part sodium hydroxide and ten parts water.
Piece
A slice or other quantity of bread, eaten on its own; a sandwich or light snack.
Part
3.5 centiliters of one ingredient in a mixed drink.
Piece
A sexual encounter; from piece of ass or piece of tail.
I got a piece at lunchtime.
Part
A section of a document.
Please turn to Part I, Chapter 2.
Piece
A shoddy or worthless object usually applied to consumer products like vehicles or appliances.
Ugh, my new computer is such a piece. I'm taking it back to the store tomorrow.
Part
A section of land; an area of a country or other territory; region.
Piece
A cannabis pipe.
Part
A factor.
3 is a part of 12.
Piece
Used to describe a pitch that has been hit but not well, usually either being caught by the opposing team or going foul. Usually used in the past tense with get.
He got a piece of that one;
She got a piece of the ball...and it's going foul.
Part
(US) A room in a public building, especially a courtroom.
Piece
An individual; a person.
Part
Duty; responsibility.
To do one’s part
Piece
(obsolete) A castle; a fortified building.
Part
Position or role (especially in a play).
We all have a part to play.
Piece
(US) A pacifier; a dummy.
Part
(music) The melody played or sung by a particular instrument, voice, or group of instruments or voices, within a polyphonic piece.
The first violin part in this concerto is very challenging.
Piece
(colloquial) A distance.
A far piece
Located a fair piece away from their camp
A fair piece off
Part
Each of two contrasting sides of an argument, debate etc.; "hand".
Piece
(rowing) A structured practice row, often used for performance evaluation.
At practice we rowed four 5,000 meter pieces.
That last piece was torture.
Part
(US) The dividing line formed by combing the hair in different directions.
The part of his hair was slightly to the left.
Piece
An amount of work to be done at one time; a unit of piece work.
Part
(Judaism) In the Hebrew lunisolar calendar, a unit of time equivalent to 3⅓ seconds.
Piece
(slang) An ounce of a recreational drug.
Part
A constituent of character or capacity; quality; faculty; talent; usually in the plural with a collective sense.
Piece
To assemble (something real or figurative).
These clues allowed us to piece together the solution to the mystery.
Part
(intransitive) To leave the company of.
Piece
To make, enlarge, or repair, by the addition of a piece or pieces; to patch; often with out.
To piece a garment
Part
To cut hair with a parting; shed.
Piece
(slang) To produce a work of graffiti more complex than a tag.
Part
(transitive) To divide in two.
To part the curtains
Piece
A fragment or part of anything separated from the whole, in any manner, as by cutting, splitting, breaking, or tearing; a part; a portion; as, a piece of sugar; to break in pieces.
Bring it out piece by piece.
Part
(intransitive) To be divided in two or separated; shed.
A rope parts.
His hair parts in the middle.
Piece
A definite portion or quantity, as of goods or work; as, a piece of broadcloth; a piece of wall paper.
Part
To divide up; to share.
Piece
Any one thing conceived of as apart from other things of the same kind; an individual article; a distinct single effort of a series; a definite performance
Part
(obsolete) To have a part or share; to partake.
Piece
An individual; - applied to a person as being of a certain nature or quality; often, but not always, used slightingly or in contempt.
Thy mother was a piece of virtue.
His own spirit is as unsettled a piece as there is in all the world.
Part
To separate or disunite; to remove from contact or contiguity; to sunder.
Piece
One of the superior men, distinguished from a pawn.
Part
(obsolete) To hold apart; to stand or intervene between.
Piece
A castle; a fortified building.
Part
To separate by a process of extraction, elimination, or secretion.
To part gold from silver
Piece
To make, enlarge, or repair, by the addition of a piece or pieces; to patch; as, to piece a garment; - often with out.
Part
To leave; to quit.
Piece
To unite; to join; to combine.
His adversaries . . . pieced themselves together in a joint opposition against him.
Part
To leave (an IRC channel).
Piece
To unite by a coalescence of parts; to fit together; to join.
Part
Fractional; partial.
Fred was part owner of the car.
Piece
A separate part of a whole;
An important piece of the evidence
Part
Partly; partially; fractionally.
Part finished
Piece
An item that is an instance of some type;
He designed a new piece of equipment
She bought a lovely piece of china
Part
One of the portions, equal or unequal, into which anything is divided, or regarded as divided; something less than a whole; a number, quantity, mass, or the like, regarded as going to make up, with others, a larger number, quantity, mass, etc., whether actually separate or not; a piece; a fragment; a fraction; a division; a member; a constituent.
And kept back part of the price, . . . and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles'feet.
Our ideas of extension and number - do they not contain a secret relation of the parts ?
I am a part of all that I have met.
Piece
A portion of a natural object;
They analyzed the river into three parts
He needed a piece of granite
Part
An equal constituent portion; one of several or many like quantities, numbers, etc., into which anything is divided, or of which it is composed; proportional division or ingredient.
An homer is the tenth part of an ephah.
A thought which, quartered, hath but one part wisdom,And ever three parts coward.
Piece
A musical work that has been created;
The composition is written in four movements
Part
A constituent portion of a living or spiritual whole; a member; an organ; an essential element.
All the parts were formed . . . into one harmonious body.
The pulse, the glow of every part.
Piece
An instance of some kind;
It was a nice piece of work
He had a bit of good luck
Part
That which belongs to one, or which is assumed by one, or which falls to one, in a division or apportionment; share; portion; lot; interest; concern; duty; office.
We have no part in David.
Accuse not Nature! she hath done her part;Do thou but thine.
Let me bearMy part of danger with an equal share.
Piece
An artistic or literary composition;
He wrote an interesting piece on Iran
The children acted out a comic piece to amuse the guests
Part
A constituent of character or capacity; quality; faculty; talent; - usually in the plural with a collective sense.
Which maintained so politic a state of evil, that they will not admit any good part to intermingle with them.
Piece
A portable gun;
He wore his firearm in a shoulder holster
Part
One of the opposing parties or sides in a conflict or a controversy; a faction.
For he that is not against us is on our part.
Make whole kingdoms take her brother's part.
Piece
A serving that has been cut from a larger portion;
A piece of pie
A slice of bread
Part
Quarter; region; district; - usually in the plural.
All parts resound with tumults, plaints, and fears.
Piece
A distance;
It is down the road a piece
Part
A particular character in a drama or a play; an assumed personification; also, the language, actions, and influence of a character or an actor in a play; or, figuratively, in real life; as, to play the part of Macbeth. See To act a part, under Act.
That partWas aptly fitted and naturally performed.
It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf.
Honor and shame from no condition rise;Act well your part, there all the honor lies.
Piece
A work of art of some artistic value;
This store sells only objets d'art
It is not known who created this piece
Part
Such portion of any quantity, as when taken a certain number of times, will exactly make that quantity; as, 3 is a part of 12; - the opposite of multiple. Also, a line or other element of a geometrical figure.
Piece
A period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition;
He was here for a little while
I need to rest for a piece
A spell of good weather
A patch of bad weather
Part
One of the different melodies of a concerted composition, which heard in union compose its harmony; also, the music for each voice or instrument; as, the treble, tenor, or bass part; the violin part, etc.
Piece
A share of something;
A slice of the company's revenue
Part
To divide; to separate into distinct parts; to break into two or more parts or pieces; to sever.
There, [celestial love] parted into rainbow hues.
Piece
Game equipment consisting of an object used in playing certain board games;
He taught me to set up the men on the chess board
He sacrificed a piece to get a strategic advantage
Part
To divide into shares; to divide and distribute; to allot; to apportion; to share.
To part his throne, and share his heaven with thee.
They parted my raiment among them.
Piece
To join or unite the pieces of;
Patch the skirt
Part
To separate or disunite; to cause to go apart; to remove from contact or contiguity; to sunder.
The Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.
While he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
The narrow seas that partThe French and English.
Piece
Make by putting pieces together;
She pieced a quilt
He tacked together some verses
Part
To hold apart; to stand between; to intervene betwixt, as combatants.
The stumbling night did part our weary powers.
Piece
Join during spinning;
Piece the broken pieces of thread, slivers, and rovings
Part
To separate by a process of extraction, elimination, or secretion; as, to part gold from silver.
The liver minds his own affair, . . .And parts and strains the vital juices.
Piece
Eat intermittently; take small bites of;
He pieced at the sandwich all morning
She never eats a full meal--she just nibbles
Part
To leave; to quit.
Since presently your souls must part your bodies.
Piece
Repair by adding pieces;
She pieced the china cup
Part
To separate (a collection of objects) into smaller collections; as, to part one's hair in the middle.
Piece
A part separated from something larger.
She tore a piece of paper from the notebook.
Part
To be broken or divided into parts or pieces; to break; to become separated; to go asunder; as, rope parts; his hair parts in the middle.
Piece
An article or component of something.
She found a unique chess piece in the attic.
Part
To go away; to depart; to take leave; to quit each other; hence, to die; - often with from.
He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted.
He owned that he had parted from the duke only a few hours before.
His precious bag, which he would by no means part from.
Part
To perform an act of parting; to relinquish a connection of any kind; - followed by with or from; as, to part with one's money.
Celia, for thy sake, I partWith all that grew so near my heart.
Powerful hands . . . will not partEasily from possession won with arms.
It was strange to him that a father should feel no tenderness at parting with an only son.
Part
To have a part or share; to partake.
Part
Partly; in a measure.
Part
Something determined in relation to something that includes it;
He wanted to feel a part of something bigger than himself
I read a portion of the manuscript
The smaller component is hard to reach
Part
The extended spatial location of something;
The farming regions of France
Religions in all parts of the world
Regions of outer space
Part
So far as concerns the actor specified;
It requires vigilance on our part
They resisted every effort on his part
Part
Something less than the whole of a human artifact;
The rear part of the house
Glue the two parts together
Part
One of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole;
The written part of the exam
The finance section of the company
The BBC's engineering division
Part
The actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group;
The function of a teacher
The government must do its part
Play its role
Part
A portion of a natural object;
They analyzed the river into three parts
He needed a piece of granite
Part
An actor's portrayal of someone in a play;
She played the part of Desdemona
Part
Assets belonging to or due to or contributed by an individual person or group;
He wanted his share in cash
Part
Any one of a number of individual efforts in a common endeavor;
I am proud of my contribution to the team's success
They all did their share of the work
Part
The melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in polyphonic music;
He tried to sing the tenor part
Part
A line where the hair is parted;
His part was right in the middle
Part
Go one's own away; move apart;
The friends separated after the party
Part
Discontinue an association or relation; go different ways;
The business partners broke over a tax question
The couple separated after 25 years of marriage
My friend and I split up
Part
Leave;
The family took off for Florida
Part
Come apart;
The two pieces that we had glued separated
Part
Force, take, or pull apart;
He separated the fighting children
Moses parted the Red Sea
Part
In part; in some degree; not wholly;
I felt partly to blame
He was partially paralyzed
Part
A role played by an actor.
He auditioned for the leading part in the play.
Part
A section or division of something.
The first part of the book was more interesting than the second.
Part
A portion with a specific function.
Each part of the machine is crucial for its operation.
Common Curiosities
Is "part" used in mechanical contexts?
Yes, "part" is often used to describe a component of a mechanical system.
Can a "part" exist on its own?
A "part" typically exists as a segment of something larger and is interconnected.
Is "piece" more casual than "part"?
"Piece" can be more casual and general, while "part" is often more formal and specific.
Can "piece" refer to an artwork?
Yes, "piece" can refer to an individual work of art or music.
Does "part" imply contribution to a greater whole?
Yes, "part" implies that the item contributes to the function or structure of the whole.
Can "piece" and "part" be used interchangeably?
They can in some contexts, but "piece" often implies a complete item, while "part" implies a component of a larger whole.
Is "piece" commonly used in everyday language?
Yes, "piece" is common in everyday language for various instances.
Does "piece" refer to a specific quantity?
Yes, "piece" can indicate a single item or quantity, like a piece of candy.
Would you use "part" to describe a role in a play?
Yes, "part" is commonly used to describe an actor's role.
Is "piece" used to describe a serving of food?
Yes, "piece" can refer to a portion of food, like a piece of cake.
Would "part" indicate a fraction of something?
Yes, "part" often indicates a fraction or segment of a larger entity.
Can "piece" suggest something complete on its own?
Yes, a "piece" can be a complete item by itself.
Can "part" suggest involvement in an activity?
Yes, "part" can mean involvement, as in taking part in an event.
Can "part" refer to a subdivision within a written work?
Yes, "part" can refer to a division or section within literature or documents.
Is "piece" specific to artistic contexts?
"Piece" is often used in artistic contexts but not exclusively so.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
