# slice

/ˈsɫaɪs/ (US) · /slˈaɪs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/slice
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a piece of food

noun · CEFR A2

a thin, flat piece of food cut from a larger portion.

For teachers: a thin, broad piece of food or material cut from a larger mass.

- He cut a thick slice of bread and spread some butter on it.
- The chef served a delicate slice of smoked salmon accompanied by a garnish of fresh dill and capers.

### 2. a portion or share

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a part or share of something larger, like a budget or a market.

For teachers: a metaphorical portion or share of a finite resource.

- The small company managed to grab a slice of the global market.
- The local council requested a larger slice of the federal budget to fund the new infrastructure project.

### 3. medical imaging

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a single image of an organ taken by a medical scanner.

For teachers: a cross-sectional image of an internal organ or structure produced by MRI or CT scanning.

- The doctor looked at every slice of the brain scan to find the problem.
- The radiologist examined each individual slice of the CT scan to identify any subtle abnormalities in the patient's lung tissue.

### 4. sports hit

noun · CEFR B2

a hit in sports like golf that makes the ball curve to one side.

For teachers: a stroke that causes the ball to curve away from the player's midline due to lateral spin.

- His golf shot had a bad slice and landed in the tall grass.
- The tennis player used a backhand slice to keep the ball low and force her opponent into a difficult return.

### 5. to cut into pieces

verb · CEFR B1

to cut something into thin, flat pieces.

For teachers: to divide a solid object into thin, broad portions using a knife or blade.

- Could you slice the tomatoes for the salad while I cook the meat?
- The machine is designed to slice the ham with extreme precision, ensuring every piece is exactly two millimetres thick.

### 6. to move through easily

verb · CEFR B2 · Literary

to move through something quickly and easily, like a boat through water.

For teachers: to move through a medium with a sharp, clean motion.

- The sharp bow of the boat sliced through the calm water.
- The cold wind sliced through his thin jacket, making him regret leaving his coat at home.

## Examples

- I would like a thin slice of bread.
- She cut a generous slice of chocolate cake for each guest at the party.
- The chef demonstrated how to cut a uniform slice of salmon, ensuring that each portion would cook at the same rate during the searing process.

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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.