The word "apiece" is spelled "əˈpiːs" in IPA phonetic transcription. The "a" is pronounced as the schwa sound, which is a short, weak vowel sound. The consonants "p" and "c" are pronounced as in English, with a short "i" sound in between. "Apiece" means "for each one" or "per unit" and is commonly used to express the cost or quantity of an item. It's important to spell this word correctly to avoid confusion or misunderstanding in written communication.
Apiece is an adverb used to indicate that something is being counted or distributed equally among a specific number of individuals or groups. It expresses the idea of something being divided or allocated in a uniform manner, with each person or entity receiving the same share or quantity.
Typically used in relation to quantities, such as objects, items, or units, the term implies that each person or group involved is entitled to an equal portion. For instance, if there are four people and four cookies, then each person receives one cookie apiece—meaning, each person gets exactly one cookie. Similarly, if there are six pencils and three students, then each student would receive two pencils apiece, signifying that they are each entitled to two pencils.
The word "apiece" has its roots in the mid-16th century, with "a-" denoting "to" or "toward," and "piece" referring to an individual part or share. By combining these elements, "apiece" indicates that each person or group is receiving their own distinct portion.
In summary, "apiece" is an adverb that emphasizes the equal distribution of something among multiple individuals or groups, indicating that they each get an equal share or quantity of the item or units in question.
• To each, as a separate share.
• One by one; singly; of a piece, of the same sort; alike.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "apiece" is derived from a combination of two words: "a" and "piece".
The word "piece" originated from the Old French word "piece", which means a division or part. It has its roots in the Latin word "pica", meaning a spot or a jot.
The word "a" in this context functions as an indefinite article, indicating a single item, or in this case, a division or part of something.
Therefore, "apiece" linguistically means per piece or per part, representing each unit or item individually.