What does peg mean?
A peg is a simple fastener, usually a small pin or spike made from wood, metal, or plastic. Its uses are remarkably varied: a clothes peg grips a garment, a tent peg anchors a shelter, and a projecting peg can support or lock another component. The same word also has an informal economic sense. To peg a price, wage, or fee is to fix it at a particular level or prevent it from increasing, as when a company pegs the price of a product during a sale. The word is common in both British and American English, though the informal verb meaning 'limit a price' is particularly associated with British usage. Because it describes both the physical object and the act of securing or fixing something, peg is a useful example of how English often develops related meanings from a single simple concept.
A small pin, spike, or narrow projection used to fasten, support, hang, or secure something.
"The tent was secured with pegs driven into the ground."
The specific term may vary by use, as in clothes peg, tent peg, or washing-line peg.
To fasten or secure something with a peg.
"Peg the tarpaulin securely to the ground before the wind rises."
Often transitive, with the object being the thing being fastened.
Informally, to fix or limit the price, wages, or rate charged for something.
"The agreement pegs wages at current levels for three years."
This sense is especially common in British English and is typically used in business, employment, and economic contexts.
The standard plural is pegs.
"He placed several pegs beside the tent."
One word can cover a tiny fastening pin, a piece of wood for holding something in place, and the act of keeping a price from rising too far.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does peg come from?
The modern English word descends from Middle English pegge, an old word for a pin or small projecting piece of wood. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, although it may be related to words in other Germanic languages. Over time, the word extended from physical fastening devices to the informal sense of fixing or limiting a price or rate.
Related word forms
How peg is actually used
The sense of fastening with a peg is formal but ordinary. The price-limiting sense of the verb is informal and especially common in British English, although it is also understood in American English.