piste

[prettygoodword]

We're back to another week of Words My True Love Gave Me.


piste - n., any of various patches of ground that have been beaten down, including a) a ski trail or downhill run, b) an unpaved trail or path in mountainous terrain, such as an animal trail, c) a rectangular strip on which fencers compete, d) a desert track suitable for vehicles, and e) the playing field for Pétanque.


And no doubt others. Pronounced "peest." From French piste, animal track, from Italian pista, from pistare, to trample down, variant of pestare, to pound, crush, and thus a cognate of piston.

---L.

Comments

[packbat.livejournal.com]

I like this! There are a lot of pistes on college campuses too, at the places where people are too lazy to follow sidewalks.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

Or where the landscapers designed the wrong sidewalks.

---L.

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Point!