adjective
pied
PIED/paɪd/
Having patches of two or more colors.
The pied pony has distinct black-and-white patches.
Etymology
The magpie's black-and-white plumage supplied the image for pied, formed as if it were a participle of the bird's name. That contrasting plumage became a model for patches of different colors generally.
In context
Carthusians in white, and pied Cistercians.
More examples
- The bird’s pied feathers formed black-and-white patches.
- She recognized the pied calf by its markings.
- A pied coat distinguished the dog from its littermates.
Forms
pied
Similar words
- mottled
- Mottled has irregular spots or blotches; pied often suggests distinct patches of contrasting colors.
- piebald
- Piebald especially means patches of black and white; pied can involve other contrasting colors.