n.
Pronunciation: ' p ī -l ē - ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural pi · lei \ -l ē - ˌ ī \
Etymology: New Latin, from L
Date: 1715
1 [L] : a pointed or close-fitting cap worn by ancient Romans
2 : the convex, concave, or flattened spore-bearing structure of some basidiomycetes that is attached superiorly to the stem and typically is expanded with gills or pores on the underside ― called also cap