“Peer” or “Pier”—Which to use?

“Peer” or “Pier”

Overview

peer / pier are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term. 👇

Definitions

peer: (noun) a person who is of equal standing with another in a group. (noun) a nobleman (duke or marquis or earl or viscount or baron) who is a member of the British peerage. (verb) look searchingly.

pier: (noun) a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats. (noun) (architecture) a vertical supporting structure (as a portion of wall between two doors or windows). (noun) a support for two adjacent bridge spans.

Pronunciation

peer: p·IH·r

pier: p·IH·r

Trends

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Examples in Context

Examples of “peer”

…of Lords as a life peer for over 30 years from…
…was introduced by Liberal Democrat peer Tim Clement-Jones and was passed…
…Earl of Northampton (1664–1727), British peer
…Heseltine, Haymarket chairman and Conservative peer;
Samir Desai – Peer to Peer and Financial Inclusion
…1997, and then a life peer in the House of Lords.
…by an in-house team, although peer review by external expert referees…
…editorial policy and via the peer review process.
…– 1744) was an English peer who held office in the…
…Earl of Northampton (1692–1758), British peer and Member of Parliament

Examples of “pier”

…groups of friends on the pier, who sent him off with…
Pak Meng Beach also has pier, where visitors can rent boats…
…only thing left was the pier.
…land was an attempt of Pier Carlo Masini and Cervetto to…
…Cornwallis area, nearby the Kedah Pier Muneeswarar Temple in the Esplanade.
Pier Ausonio Bianco – Francesco Cheratzu,…
…beach near the Tybee Island pier.
…that was attached to the pier at one end and was…
…ship terminal on B Street Pier.
…oversaw the re-painting of the pier and the construction of the…

(Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions drawn from WordNet.)

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