# Pearce

/ˈpɪɹs/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pearce
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to make a hole

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic

to make a hole in something with a sharp point.

For teachers: to penetrate or puncture a surface with a sharp instrument; an obsolete spelling of 'pierce'.

- The knight used his sword to pearce the thick wooden door.
- In the original manuscript, the poet describes how a single arrow might pearce the strongest armour of the day.

Usage: This spelling is no longer used in modern English; learners should always use 'pierce'.

Teaching tip: This form appears only in historical texts or early modern literature. Modern learners should treat it as a spelling error if found in contemporary writing.

## Examples

- The knight used his sword to pearce the shield.
- In the old manuscript, the writer describes how the arrow did pearce the thick leather of the soldier's armor.
- Scholars of Early Modern English often encounter variant spellings like 'pearce' in texts where orthography had not yet been standardized to the modern 'pierce'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.