Chinese checkers

noun

plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: a game in which each player seeks to be the first to transfer a set of marbles from a home point to the opposite point of a pitted 6-pointed star by single moves or jumps

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The freighter hit bad weather and lost 109 shipping containers of urinal mats, Chinese checkers, hair wax, refrigerators, inflatable toys, bike helmets and bottles of baby oil—plus the Yeti cache. John Clarke, WSJ, 2 Dec. 2022 This beautiful Chinese checkers game set should be on-hand in every home. Ysolt Usigan, Woman's Day, 16 Aug. 2022 In early 2020, Rainville was grumbling to his staff about the surplus of Chinese checkers sets gathering dust in inventory. Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Chinese checkers.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Chinese checkers was in 1840

Dictionary Entries Near Chinese checkers

Cite this Entry

“Chinese checkers.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Chinese%20checkers. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

Chinese checkers

noun
: a game in which each player seeks to be the first to transfer a set of marbles from a home point to the opposite point of a 6-pointed star by means of single moves and jumps
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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