Peace or Piece?

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What Is the Difference between "Peace" and "Piece"?

"Peace" and "Piece" are easy to confuse because they sound identical (i.e., they are perfect homonyms). However, their meanings are very different.

• "Peace" means "freedom from disturbance" or "a period in which there is no war or aggression."
• I need some peace to read this document.
• In western Europe, there has been peace since the 1940s.
• "Piece" means "a portion." It can also refer to "an artistic creation" (e.g., a piece of music).
• I have lost a piece of my jigsaw.
• This piece always makes me cry.
• "To piece" means "to assemble something from several parts."
• We need to piece the clues together.

More about "Peace" and "Piece"

Do not confuse "peace" and "piece." They are common words, and your readers will expect you to know them.

Peace

The word "peace" is a noun that means "a period in which there is no war." It also describes "freedom from disturbance" or "calmness."

Example sentences with "peace":

• We make war so that we may live in peace.
• Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it's a start.

Piece

The word "piece" can be used as a noun or a verb. When used as a noun, "piece" means a portion or section of something. It also describes a written, musical, or artistic creation (e.g., a lovely piece of music). As a verb, it means to assemble or construct something from several parts. It is usually seen in the form "to piece together".

Example sentences with "piece":

• A hexagonal piece of cheese is a lot better than a square piece of cheese.
(Here, "piece" means portion or slice.)
• I'm learning the oboe - just single notes, not an entire piece of music.
(Here, "piece" is describing a musical creation.)
• I am a self-taught guitarist. I just try to piece together passages that have some melodic value!
(Here is an example of "piece" being used as a verb.)

Common Terms with "Peace" and "Piece"

Common terms with the word "peace":

• world peace
• at peace
• inner peace
• peace be with you
• rest in peace
• War and Peace
• peace of mind

Common terms with the word "piece":

• piece of cake
• piece of meat
• bits and pieces
• go to pieces
• a piece of my mind

"Peace of Mind" or "Piece of Mind"?

Writers are sometimes unsure whether to write "peace of mind" or "piece of mind." This confusion arises because there are two similar expressions:

• "Peace of mind" means to be at ease with a situation. For example:
• I have just upgraded by house insurance. I now have peace of mind.
• The words "piece of mind" most commonly feature in a term like "a piece of my mind," which means "what I am thinking." For example:
• I will give him a piece of my mind.
(This means "I will tell him what I am thinking." "A piece of my mind" carries a connotation of being angry with a situation.)

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