pila

See also: Appendix:Variations of "pila"

Languages (32)

English

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English

Etymology 1

Noun

pila

1. plural of pilum

Etymology 2

From Latin pīla (“mortar”).

Noun

pila (plural pilae)

1. (art, archaeology) A mortar.

Anagrams

• ALIP, Lipa, Pali, lipa, pail, pali, pali-, pial

Aklanon

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Austronesian *pijax.

Pronoun

pila

1. how many

Basque

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Alternative forms

• pilo (chiefly Biscayan)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Navarro-Lapurdian) /pila/ [pi.la]
• IPA^(key): (Southern) /piʎa/ [pi.ʎa]
• (Navarro-Lapurdian) Rhymes: -ila, -a
• (Southern) Rhymes: -iʎa, -a
• Hyphenation: pi‧la

Noun

pila inan

2. bunch, lot

   Synonym: mordo

4. heap, pile

Declension

Declension of pila (inan a-stem)

	indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive	pila	pila	pilak	pilok
ergative	pilak	pilak	pilek	pilok
dative	pilari	pilari	pilei	piloi
genitive	pilaren	pilaren	pilen	pilon
comitative	pilarekin	pilarekin	pilekin	pilokin
causative	pilarengatik	pilarengatik	pilengatik	pilongatik
benefactive	pilarentzat	pilarentzat	pilentzat	pilontzat
instrumental	pilaz	pilaz	pilez	pilotaz
inessive	pilatan	pilan	piletan	pilotan
locative	pilatako	pilako	piletako	pilotako
allative	pilatara	pilara	piletara	pilotara
terminative	pilataraino	pilaraino	piletaraino	pilotaraino
directive	pilatarantz	pilarantz	piletarantz	pilotarantz
destinative	pilatarako	pilarako	piletarako	pilotarako
ablative	pilatatik	pilatik	piletatik	pilotatik
partitive	pilarik	—	—	—
prolative	pilatzat	—	—	—

Derived terms

• pilaka (“in large quantities”)
• pilaketa (“accumulation”)
• pilatu (“to accumulate”)
• pilatzaile (“accumulator”)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish pila.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pila/ [pi.la]
• Rhymes: -ila, -a

Noun

pila inan

2. (electricity, electronics) battery (device storing electricity)

Declension

Declension of pila (inan a-stem)

	indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive	pila	pila	pilak	pilok
ergative	pilak	pilak	pilek	pilok
dative	pilari	pilari	pilei	piloi
genitive	pilaren	pilaren	pilen	pilon
comitative	pilarekin	pilarekin	pilekin	pilokin
causative	pilarengatik	pilarengatik	pilengatik	pilongatik
benefactive	pilarentzat	pilarentzat	pilentzat	pilontzat
instrumental	pilaz	pilaz	pilez	pilotaz
inessive	pilatan	pilan	piletan	pilotan
locative	pilatako	pilako	piletako	pilotako
allative	pilatara	pilara	piletara	pilotara
terminative	pilataraino	pilaraino	piletaraino	pilotaraino
directive	pilatarantz	pilarantz	piletarantz	pilotarantz
destinative	pilatarako	pilarako	piletarako	pilotarako
ablative	pilatatik	pilatik	piletatik	pilotatik
partitive	pilarik	—	—	—
prolative	pilatzat	—	—	—

Further reading

• “pila”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]
• “pila”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [ˈpi.lə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia, Northwestern) [ˈpi.la]

• Audio (Catalonia):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin pīla (“pillar”).

Noun

pila f (plural piles)

1. pile, stack, heap
   • 2019, “Sento”, in Energia fosca, performed by El Petit de Cal Eril:

     On deu anar tota l'aigua del mar? / Piles d'objectes, tones de sal.

     Where should all the seawater go? / Heaps of objects, tonnes of salt.

2. bunch, load
3. battery
4. (heraldry) pile

Derived terms

• pilera
• piló
• pilot

Etymology 2

Inherited from Latin pīla (“mortar”).

Noun

pila f (plural piles)

1. a stone basin, especially a baptismal font

   Synonym: pica

Derived terms

• nom de pila

Further reading

• “pila”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

Cebuano

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Austronesian *pijax.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /piˈla/ [piˈl̪a]
• Hyphenation: pi‧la

Pronoun

pilá (Badlit spelling ᜉᜒᜎ)

1. how many?

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

French filebor.

Spanish filabor.

Cebuano pila

Borrowed from Spanish fila (“line”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpila/ [ˈpiː.l̪a]
• Hyphenation: pi‧la

Noun

píla (Badlit spelling ᜉᜒᜎ)

1. queue

   Synonym: linya

Central Bikol

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *pilaq.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpilaʔ/ [ˈpi.l̪aʔ]
• Hyphenation: pi‧la

Noun

pilà (Basahan spelling ᜉᜒᜎ)

1. scar

   Synonym: piklat

2. scab

   Synonym: kagan

Derived terms

• magpila
• makapila
• mapila
• mapilaan
• papila

See also

• lugad

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

French filebor.

Spanish filabor.

Central Bikol pila

Borrowed from Spanish fila (“line”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpila/ [ˈpi.l̪a]
• Hyphenation: pi‧la

Noun

píla (Basahan spelling ᜉᜒᜎ)

1. line; queue; line of persons, vehicles, etc.

   Synonym: linya

Derived terms

• magpila

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Spanish pila (“small battery”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpila/ [ˈpi.l̪a]
• Hyphenation: pi‧la

Noun

píla (Basahan spelling ᜉᜒᜎ)

1. (rare) battery (for flashlights)

   Synonym: bateriya

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈpɪla]

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *pila.

Noun

pila f (diminutive pilka)

1. saw

Declension

Declension of pila (hard feminine)

	singular	plural
nominative	pila	pily
genitive	pily	pil
dative	pile	pilám
accusative	pilu	pily
vocative	pilo	pily
locative	pile	pilách
instrumental	pilou	pilami

Related terms

nouns

• pilčička
• pilečka
• piliny

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Participle

pila

1. inflection of pít:
   1. feminine singular past active participle
   2. neuter plural past active participle

Further reading

• “pila”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “pila”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “pila”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026

Finnish

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Swedish spil, from Middle Low German spil, from Proto-West Germanic *spil. Cognates include Estonian pila, Karelian pila. Doublet of peli.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpilɑ/, [ˈpilɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ilɑ
• Syllabification^(key): pi‧la
• Hyphenation^(key): pi‧la

Noun

pila

1. practical joke, jest, prank

   Synonym: kepponen

2. (dated) synonym of vitsi (“joke, jest”)

Declension

Inflection of pila (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		pila	pilat
genitive		pilan	pilojen
partitive		pilaa	piloja
illative		pilaan	piloihin
		singular	plural
nominative		pila	pilat
accusative	nom.	pila	pilat
	gen.	pilan
genitive		pilan	pilojen pilain rare
partitive		pilaa	piloja
inessive		pilassa	piloissa
elative		pilasta	piloista
illative		pilaan	piloihin
adessive		pilalla	piloilla
ablative		pilalta	piloilta
allative		pilalle	piloille
essive		pilana	piloina
translative		pilaksi	piloiksi
abessive		pilatta	piloitta
instructive		—	piloin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of pila (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative pilani pilani accusative nom. pilani pilani gen. pilani genitive pilani pilojeni pilaini rare partitive pilaani pilojani inessive pilassani piloissani elative pilastani piloistani illative pilaani piloihini adessive pilallani piloillani ablative pilaltani piloiltani allative pilalleni piloilleni essive pilanani piloinani translative pilakseni piloikseni abessive pilattani piloittani instructive — — comitative — piloineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative pilasi pilasi accusative nom. pilasi pilasi gen. pilasi genitive pilasi pilojesi pilaisi rare partitive pilaasi pilojasi inessive pilassasi piloissasi elative pilastasi piloistasi illative pilaasi piloihisi adessive pilallasi piloillasi ablative pilaltasi piloiltasi allative pilallesi piloillesi essive pilanasi piloinasi translative pilaksesi piloiksesi abessive pilattasi piloittasi instructive — — comitative — piloinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative pilamme pilamme accusative nom. pilamme pilamme gen. pilamme genitive pilamme pilojemme pilaimme rare partitive pilaamme pilojamme inessive pilassamme piloissamme elative pilastamme piloistamme illative pilaamme piloihimme adessive pilallamme piloillamme ablative pilaltamme piloiltamme allative pilallemme piloillemme essive pilanamme piloinamme translative pilaksemme piloiksemme abessive pilattamme piloittamme instructive — — comitative — piloinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative pilanne pilanne accusative nom. pilanne pilanne gen. pilanne genitive pilanne pilojenne pilainne rare partitive pilaanne pilojanne inessive pilassanne piloissanne elative pilastanne piloistanne illative pilaanne piloihinne adessive pilallanne piloillanne ablative pilaltanne piloiltanne allative pilallenne piloillenne essive pilananne piloinanne translative pilaksenne piloiksenne abessive pilattanne piloittanne instructive — — comitative — piloinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative pilansa pilansa accusative nom. pilansa pilansa gen. pilansa genitive pilansa pilojensa pilainsa rare partitive pilaansa pilojaan pilojansa inessive pilassaan pilassansa piloissaan piloissansa elative pilastaan pilastansa piloistaan piloistansa illative pilaansa piloihinsa adessive pilallaan pilallansa piloillaan piloillansa ablative pilaltaan pilaltansa piloiltaan piloiltansa allative pilalleen pilallensa piloilleen piloillensa essive pilanaan pilanansa piloinaan piloinansa translative pilakseen pilaksensa piloikseen piloiksensa abessive pilattaan pilattansa piloittaan piloittansa instructive — — comitative — piloineen piloinensa

Derived terms

• pilailla
• pilallinen
• pilari (“prank call”)
• tehdä pilaa

compounds

• aprillipila
• hirtehispila
• pilaesitys
• pilahinta
• pilajuttu
• pilakuva
• pilalaulu
• pilalehti
• pilanpuhuja
• pilanpäin
• pilanpäiten
• pilanteko
• pilapiirros
• pilapiirtäjä
• pilapuhe
• pilapuhelu
• pilasatu
• pilasoitto

Further reading

• “pila”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

Anagrams

• Alpi, alpi, lipa

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pi.la/

Verb

pila

1. third-person singular past historic of piler

Anagrams

• plia

Garo

Verb

pila

1. to apply liquid to the body

Hawaiian

Noun

pila

1. violin

Higaonon

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Austronesian *pijax.

Pronoun

pila

1. how many

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpi.la/
• Rhymes: -ila
• Hyphenation: pì‧la

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin pīla (“pillar”).

Noun

pila f (plural pile)

1. pile (all senses)
2. (heraldry) pile (one of the standard geometric designs placed across the center of a coat of arms, such as a pale or fess)
3. battery (electrical)
4. torch / flashlight

Related terms

• pila atomica
• reattore nucleare
• reattore atomico

Etymology 2

From Latin pīla (“mortar”).

Noun

pila f (plural pile)

1. basin
2. (Rome, dated) synonym of padella (“pan”)

Anagrams

• Alpi, alpi, pali

Kankanaey

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpila/ [ˈpiː.lʌ]
  • Rhymes: -ila
• (Sagada, parts of Sabangan) IPA^(key): /ˈpira/ [ˈpiː.rʌ]
  • Rhymes: -ira
• Syllabification: pi‧la

Noun

píla

1. rock

See also

• engat

References

• Morice Vanoverbergh (1933), “píla”, in A Dictionary of Lepanto Igorot or Kankanay. As it is spoken at Bauco (Linguistische Anthropos-Bibliothek; XII)‎^[2], Mödling bei Wien, St. Gabriel, Österreich: Verlag der Internationalen Zeitschrift „Anthropos“, →OCLC, page 361

Kashubian

Etymology

Borrowed from German Low German Piele. Compare Upper Sorbian pila and Polabian pailă.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpi.la/
• Rhymes: -ila
• Syllabification: pi‧la

Noun

pila f

1. goose (a grazing waterfowl of the family Anatidae)

   Synonyms: gãs, bëka, wùlka, liwùszka, dërotka, todrotka, gãgawa, gãganica

Further reading

• Jan Trepczyk (1994), “gęś”, in Słownik polsko-kaszubski (in Kashubian), volumes 1–2
• Eùgeniusz Gòłąbk (2011), “gęś”, in Słownik Polsko-Kaszubski / Słowôrz Pòlskò-Kaszëbsczi‎^[3]
• “pila”, in Internetowi Słowôrz Kaszëbsczégò Jãzëka [Internet Dictionary of the Kashubian Language], Fundacja Kaszuby, 2022

Khumi Chin

Etymology

Related to Burmese ပုလင်း (pu.lang:).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pi˧.la˥/

Noun

pila

1. bottle

References

• K. E. Herr (2011), The phonological interpretation of minor syllables, applied to Lemi Chin‎^[4], Payap University, page 73

Ladino

Alternative forms

• פילה (Hebrew orthography spelling)
  • pile (Aki Yerushalayim and French orthography spelling used in Kosovo, North Macedonia, Old Yishuv of Jerusalem, West Bulgaria and Ruse)

Etymology

From Latin pīla.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpi.la/, [ˈpi.la]
• IPA^(key): [ˈpi.læ], [ˈpi.lɛ], [ˈpi.le], [ˈpi.lə] (dialects with the reduction of final /a/)

Noun

pila f (plural pilas)

1. sink, washbasin

   Lávate las manos en la pila.

   Wash your hands in the sink.

2. pile, heap

   Avía una pila de livros en la mesa.

   There was a pile of books on the table.

Latin

Etymology 1

Probably from Proto-Italic *pistlā, from Proto-Indo-European *pis-tlo-, from *peys- (“to crush”), whence also pīlum (“pestle, pounder”), pīnsō (“to pound, crush”).

Pronunciation

• pīla:
  • (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.ɫa]
  • (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.la]
  • Hyphenation: pī‧la
• pīlā:
  • (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.ɫaː]
  • (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.la]
  • Hyphenation: pī‧lā

Noun

pīla f (genitive pīlae); first declension

2. mortar (used with a pestle)

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	pīla	pīlae
genitive	pīlae	pīlārum
dative	pīlae	pīlīs
accusative	pīlam	pīlās
ablative	pīlā	pīlīs
vocative	pīla	pīlae

Synonyms

• mortārium (implement for grinding):

Derived terms

• pīlārium (“the seat of a burial urn”)

Descendants

• Catalan: pica
• English: pile
• French: pile
• Friulian: pile
• Italian: pila, pilla
• Old Galician-Portuguese: pia
  • Galician: pía
  • Portuguese: pia
• Romanian: piuă
• Sicilian: pila
• Spanish: pila

Etymology 2

From Proto-Italic *peilā, further etymology unknown. The Latin denominal pīlāre (“to fix firmly”) finds a parallel in Oscan ehpeílatasset (“[the stele] has been erected”, 3p pf. pass.). Cf., for more, Ancient Greek πῠ́λη (pŭ́lē).

Pronunciation

• pīla:
  • (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.ɫa]
  • (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.la]
  • Hyphenation: pī‧la
• pīlā:
  • (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.ɫaː]
  • (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.la]
  • Hyphenation: pī‧lā

Noun

pīla f (genitive pīlae); first declension

2. pillar
3. pier

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	pīla	pīlae
genitive	pīlae	pīlārum
dative	pīlae	pīlīs
accusative	pīlam	pīlās
ablative	pīlā	pīlīs
vocative	pīla	pīlae

Derived terms

• pīlāre, pīlārium (“pillar”) (Medieval Latin)
• pīlātim
• pīlō

Descendants

• Catalan: pila
• Italian: pila
• Old French: pile
  • French: pile
  • → English: pile
• Old Galician-Portuguese: pia
  • Galician: pía
  • Portuguese: pilha
• Sicilian: pila
• Spanish: pila

Etymology 3

Likely from pilus (“hair”), thus originally meaning "bundle of hair".

Pronunciation

• pila:
  • (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈpɪ.ɫa]
  • (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.la]
  • Hyphenation: pi‧la
• pilā:
  • (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈpɪ.ɫaː]
  • (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.la]
  • Hyphenation: pi‧lā

Noun

pila f (genitive pilae); first declension

2. ball
3. (figuratively) a game of ball
   • c. 4 BCE – 65 CE, Seneca Minor, De brevitate vitae 13:

     Persequi singulos longum est quorum aut latrunculi aut pila aut excoquendi in sole corporis cura consumpsere vitam.

     It would be tedious to mention all the different men who have spent the whole of their life over chess or ball or the practice of baking their bodies in the sun.

4. globe, sphere

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	pila	pilae
genitive	pilae	pilārum
dative	pilae	pilīs
accusative	pilam	pilās
ablative	pilā	pilīs
vocative	pila	pilae

Derived terms

• pilāris
• pilārius (“juggler”)
• pilula

Descendants

• ⇒ Vulgar Latin: *pilotta
  • Old French: pelute
    • French: pelote
    • → Old Occitan: pelota
      • → Catalan: pilota
      • → Galician: pelota
      • → Portuguese: pelota
      • → Spanish: pelota
  • Italian: pilotta, pillotta
• → Polish: piłka
  • → Esperanto: pilko
• → Proto-Brythonic: *pel
  • Middle Cornish: pele, pelle
    • Cornish: pel
  • Middle Welsh: pel
    • Welsh: pêl

Etymology 4

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.ɫa]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈpiː.la]
• Hyphenation: pī‧la

Noun

pīla

1. nominative/accusative/vocative plural of pīlum

Related terms

• pīla, pīlæ f (likely same etymology)

Further reading

• “pila”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• pila in Georges, Karl Ernst; Georges, Heinrich (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th edition, volume 2, Hahnsche Buchhandlung
• R. E. Latham, D. R. Howlett, & R. K. Ashdowne, editors (1975–2013), “pila”, in Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources‎^[5], London: Oxford University Press for the British Academy, →ISBN, →OCLC
• “pila”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Harm Pinkster, editor (2018), “pila”, in Woordenboek Latijn/Nederlands‎^[6], 7th revised edition, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, →ISBN, →OCLC
• Latino-Sinicum, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ [Logeion] Dictionaries for Ancient Greek and Latin (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, since 2011
• "pila", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “pila”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “pila”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin
• “pila”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper’s Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎^[7], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (ambiguous) to throw down the javelins (pila) and fight with the sword: omissis pilis gladiis rem gerere
    

Malagasy

Etymology

Borrowed from French pile.

Noun

pila

1. battery

Mansaka

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Austronesian *pijax.

Pronoun

pila

1. how many

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• pilen

Noun

pila m or f

1. definite feminine singular of pil

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• pilen

Noun

pila f or m

1. definite feminine singular of pil

Portuguese

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈpi.lɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈpi.lɐ/

• Homophone: pilha (Madeira)
• Hyphenation: pi‧la

Noun

pila f (plural pilas)

1. (Portugal, slang) penis

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:pénis

Etymology 2

Verb

pila

1. inflection of pilar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Etymology 3

From the name of a gaúcho politician, Raul Pilla.

Noun

pila m pl (plural only)

1. (Rio Grande do Sul, slang) a unit of a current Brazilian currency; cash; real

   Me vê cinco pila de cacetinhos

   Give me 5 reais of bread

Usage notes

This is a singular-only word, therefore it is impossible for one to say "cinco pilas", rather one would say "cinco pila".

Further reading

• “pila”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “pila”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *pila, from Old High German fil (“file”) (see modern German Feile).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pǐːla/
• Hyphenation: pi‧la

Noun

píla f (Cyrillic spelling пи́ла)

1. (regional, Croatia) saw

   Synonym: žaga

Declension

Declension of pila

	singular	plural
nominative	pila	pile
genitive	pile	pila
dative	pili	pilama
accusative	pilu	pile
vocative	pilo	pile
locative	pili	pilama
instrumental	pilom	pilama

Further reading

• “pila”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2026

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Participle

pila

1. feminine singular / neuter plural l-participle of pȉti

Sicilian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpi.la/
• Rhymes: -ila
• Hyphenation: pì‧la

Etymology 1

From pilu, from Latin pilus.

Noun

pila m

1. plural of pilu
2. (plural only) The collection or mass of such growths growing from the skin of humans and animals, and forming a covering for a part of the head or for any part or the whole body.
3. (by extension) The collection or mass of slender outgrowths, filaments, or fibers growing or projecting from the surface of an object or organism.

Derived terms

• pila janchi
• pila nìguri
• pila russi
• pilazza
• piliceḍḍi
• piluzza

Related terms

• capiḍḍu
• gigghia
• peḍḍi
• pilusu
• supraggigghia
• tigna
• tignusu

Etymology 2

From Latin pīla (“pillar”). Compare French pile, Italian pila, Spanish pila.

Noun

pila f (plural pili)

1. small battery

   Coordinate term: battirìa

2. pile, stack, heap, mound

   Synonym: munzeḍḍu

   Àju na pila di robbi di lavari e stirari. ― I have a pile/stack of clothes to wash and iron.

3. money

Etymology 3

From Latin pīla (“mortar”). Compare Portuguese pia, Catalan pica.

Noun

pila f (plural pili)

2. sink; washbasin

Related terms

• lavàrisi nnâ pila
• scifu
• vâ caca nnâ pila!

Slovak

Etymology

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pila/, [ˈpila]
• Rhymes: -ila
• Hyphenation: pi‧la

Participle

pila

1. feminine singular l-participle of piť

Slovene

Pila

Etymology 1

From Proto-Slavic *pila, a borrowing from Old High German fila. See modern German Feile.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pìːla/

Noun

píla f

1. file (abrasive tool)

Declension

The diacritics used in this section of the entry are non-tonal. If you are a native tonal speaker, please help by adding the tonal marks.

Feminine, a-stem
nom. sing.	píla
gen. sing.	píle
	singular	dual	plural
nominative (imenovȃlnik)	píla	píli	píle
genitive (rodȋlnik)	píle	píl	píl
dative (dajȃlnik)	píli	pílama	pílam
accusative (tožȋlnik)	pílo	píli	píle
locative (mẹ̑stnik)	píli	pílah	pílah
instrumental (orọ̑dnik)	pílo	pílama	pílami

Further reading

• “pila”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, portal Fran
• “pila”, in Termania, Amebis
• See also the general references

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /píːla/

Participle

pȋla

1. feminine singular / neuter plural l-participle of píti

Spanish

Pilas (left) and baterías (right)

pilas recargables

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpila/ [ˈpi.la]
• Rhymes: -ila
• Syllabification: pi‧la

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Italic *peilā

Latin pīla

Spanish pila

Inherited from Latin pīla (“pillar”). Compare French pile.

Noun

pila f (plural pilas)

1. small battery

   Coordinate term: batería

2. pile, stack, heap, mound

   Synonym: montón

   Tengo una pila de papeles encima de la mesa con órdenes de trabajo.

   I have a stack of papers on my desk with work orders.

3. (colloquial, chiefly Uruguay, Dominican Republic) a lot

   Synonym: mucho

   pila de gente ― a lot of people

   pila de vainas ― a lot of things

   dar pila de miedo ― to be very scary

4. (heraldry) pile

Usage notes

• pila is used for small, cylindrical batteries (some are straight), type AA, AAA, AAAA, C, D, N, 9V. And the batería for rectangular and large rechargeable batteries, like in smartphones, laptops, e-scooters, electric cars. Although the pilas can also be rechargeable.

Derived terms

• apilar
• pila de
• pila de combustible
• pila de hidrógeno
• pilón
• ponerse las pilas

Descendants

• → Central Bikol: pila

Etymology 2

Inherited from Latin pīla (“mortar”). Compare Portuguese pia, Catalan pica.

Sinks

A baptismal font

Noun

pila f (plural pilas)

2. sink; washbasin

   Hyponym: fregadero

3. font, baptismal font

   Synonym: pila bautismal

Derived terms

• nombre de pila (“given name”)
• padre de pila
• pila bautismal
• pileta
• pilón

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

pila

1. inflection of pilar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “pila”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025
• “pila”, in Diccionario de americanismos [Dictionary of Americanisms] (in Spanish), Association of Academies of the Spanish Language [Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española], 2010

Swedish

Etymology

From the noun pil (“dart, arrow”).

Verb

pila (present pilar, preterite pilade, supine pilat, imperative pila)

1. (dated) to dart; to run quickly, to shoot rapidly and energetically along

Conjugation

Conjugation of pila (weak)

	active		passive
infinitive	pila		—
supine	pilat		—
imperative	pila		—
imper. plural1	pilen		—
	present	past	present	past
indicative	pilar	pilade	—	—
ind. plural1	pila	pilade	—	—
subjunctive2	pile	pilade	—	—
present participle		pilande
past participle		pilad

¹ Archaic. ² Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈpila/ [ˈpiː.lɐ]
• Rhymes: -ila
• Syllabification: pi‧la

Noun

pila (Baybayin spelling ᜉᜒᜎ)

1. clay for making earthenware

   Synonyms: luwad, lupang-lagkit

Related terms

• Pila

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

French filebor.

Spanish filabor.

Tagalog pila

Borrowed from Spanish fila (“line”), borrowed from French file.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈpila/ [ˈpiː.lɐ]
• Rhymes: -ila
• Syllabification: pi‧la

Noun

pila (Baybayin spelling ᜉᜒᜎ)

1. line; file
2. queue; line of persons, vehicles, etc.

Related terms

• de-ilo
• ilo
• pilo

Etymology 3

Etymology tree

Proto-Italic *peilā

Latin pīla

Spanish pilabor.

Tagalog pila

Borrowed from Spanish pila, from Latin pīla (“pillar”), from Proto-Italic *peilā.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈpila/ [ˈpiː.lɐ]
• Rhymes: -ila
• Syllabification: pi‧la

Noun

pila (Baybayin spelling ᜉᜒᜎ)

1. small electric battery

See also

• baterya

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /piˈla/ [pɪˈla]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: pi‧la

Adjective

pilá (Baybayin spelling ᜉᜒᜎ) (obsolete)

1. broken off (as the handle of a jug, neck of a bottle, etc.)

   Synonyms: pingas, bila

2. chipped off (as the edge rim of crockery, etc.)

Further reading

• “pila”, in KWF Diksiyonaryo ng Wikang Filipino, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2025
• “pila”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018
• San Buena Ventura, Fr. Pedro de (1613), Vocabulario de lengua tagala. El romance castellano puesto primero. Primera, y segunda parte.‎^[8] (overall work in Early Modern Spanish and Classical Tagalog), as directed by Gov. Gen. Juan de Silva, Pila, Laguna: La noble Villa de Pila, por Tomás Pinpin y Domingo Loag.
  • page 246: “Deſportillar) Pila (pc) S. la vaſija”
  • page 482: “Piedra) Pila (pp) blanda de que ſe hazen los edifiçios en Manila y de aqui llaman Pila aun pueblo que ay en la laguna por ſer alli todo el ſuelo della”
  • page 572: “Tierra) Pila (pp) algodura y ſies piedra es muy blanda”

Anagrams

• lipa, Lipa, pali, lapi, ilap

Tausug

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Austronesian *pijax.

Pronunciation

• (Sinūgan Parianun) IPA^(key): /pila/ [pɪˈla]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: pi‧la

Pronoun

pila (Sulat Sūg spelling فِلَ)

1. how many

Welsh

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈpɪla/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈpiːla/
• Rhymes: -ɪla

Noun

pila m (plural pilaon)

1. finch

   Synonyms: pinc, llinos

Derived terms

• pila gwyrdd (“siskin; greenfinch”)
• pila prysgoed (“brushfinch”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of pila

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
pila	bila	mhila	phila

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Griffiths, Bruce; Glyn Jones, Dafydd (1995), “finch”, in Geiriadur yr Academi: The Welsh Academy English–Welsh Dictionary‎^[9], Cardiff: University of Wales Press, →ISBN
• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “pila”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies