slice and piece

Veron   Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:27 pm GMT
What's the difference between a "slice of cake" and a "piece of cake"?
Guest   Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:53 pm GMT
Whilst they may mean the same thing, slice to my mind is larger than piece.
Guest   Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:01 pm GMT
In my mind, "slice" and "piece" have absolutely identical meaning in this context.
furrykef   Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:01 pm GMT
I think I would be more likely to use "slice" if it's wedge-shaped, and "piece" if it isn't. But that's only a tendency, and quite possibly an idiosyncratic one.

- Kef
K. T.   Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:41 am GMT
To me a slice of pie would be smaller than a piece of pie.
NY statian   Sat Sep 15, 2007 2:45 am GMT
To me, it seems that (in general) a slice is something cut by a knife-like device out of a larger mass. Generally, one dimension of the slice is much smaller than the other two (slice of bread, slice of cheese, slice of meatloaf, etc.).

I'd think a slice of cake would resemble a slice of bread or meatloaf. Perhaps a coffee cake (or poundcake, banana cake, etc.) baked in a bread pan could be sliced into small, thin pieces, and these would be called 'slices'. I'm not sure I'd use the term 'slice" for a wedge-shaped piece of a round cake, unless it were very thin.
Me   Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:45 pm GMT
If in doubt, ask for a piece. A slice is always a piece but a piece is not always a slice. :)