# pierce

> English word · Verb · IPA /pɪɹs/ · frequency rank #7,958

## Definitions
1. To puncture; to break through.
2. To create a hole in the skin for the purpose of inserting jewelry.
3. to break or interrupt abruptly
4. To get to the heart or crux of (a matter).
5. To penetrate; to affect deeply.

## Etymology
From Middle English perce, from conjugated forms of Old French percier such as (jeo) pierce (“I pierce”), probably from Vulgar Latin *pertūsiō, from Latin pertūsus, past participle of pertundō (“thrust or bore through”), from per- (“through”) + tundō (“beat, pound”). Displaced native Old English þȳrlian (literally “to hole”).

## Easily confused with
- **Piers** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pierce-vs-piers)
- **Pierre** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pierce-vs-pierre)
- **pierced** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pierce-vs-pierced)
- **pier** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pier-vs-pierce)
- **piece** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/piece-vs-pierce)
- **peace** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peace-vs-pierce)
- **pence** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pence-vs-pierce)
- **Percy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/percy-vs-pierce)
- **perch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-pierce)
- **pieces** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pieces-vs-pierce)
- **Pearce** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pearce-vs-pierce)
- **Peirce** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peirce-vs-pierce)

## Common misspellings (7)
`iperce`, `piecre`, `piercce`, `pierec`, `pierrce`, `pirece`, `ppierce`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pierce