checkerboard

noun

check·​er·​board ˈche-kər-ˌbȯrd 

1

: a board used in various games (such as checkers) with usually 64 squares in 2 alternating colors

2

: something that has a pattern or arrangement like a checkerboard

Examples of checkerboard in a Sentence

The fields formed a checkerboard of light and dark squares.

Recent Examples on the Web

Oversized floral prints cover the custom sectionals in both living rooms; a blue, yellow, and purple checkerboard rug anchors her dining room; and classic zigzag pillows adorn the beds. —Laura May Todd, Architectural Digest, 6 Nov. 2025

The checkerboard flooring in the dining room and bar, the hexagon flooring in the bathroom, and the travertine tile are all being restored. —Su-Jit Lin, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025

The big winner might have been Vans, the company that made the checkerboard shoes that Penn showed up with for the character. —Cameron Crowe, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025

Scarlet strings of chile hung against the light-brown adobe of houses, and the fields were checkerboards of green and gold. —Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for checkerboard

• clavichord
• fiberboard
• fibreboard
• fingerboard
• harpsichord
• motherboard
• notochord
• overboard
• overlord
• paperboard
• plasterboard
• shuffleboard

Kids Definition

checkerboard

noun

check·​er·​board -ˌbō(ə)rd 

-ˌbȯ(ə)rd

: a board used in games and marked with 64 squares in two colors