What does "piper" mean?
Piper: (Mus.) One who plays on a pipe, or the like, esp. on a bagpipe. "The hereditary piper and his sons." Macaulay.
Additional senses
- 2.(Zoöl.) (a) A common European gurnard (Trigla lyra), having a large head, with prominent nasal projection, and with large, sharp, opercular spines. (b) A sea urchin (Goniocidaris hystrix) having very long spines, native of both the American and European coasts. To pay the piper, to bear the cost, expense, or trouble.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00