chess

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈches 

: a game for 2 players each of whom moves 16 pieces according to fixed rules across a checkerboard and tries to checkmate the opponent's king

Illustration of chess

• chessboard with chess pieces arranged as at the beginning of a game

chess

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: a weedy annual European bromegrass (Bromus secalinus) widely naturalized in North America as a weed especially in grain

2

: any of several weedy bromegrasses related to chess

Examples of chess in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The ultimate power move right now is not to be on that chess board. —Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2025

The first rule of baseball chess is that without good players, a manager and his coaches will look like dummies. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025

Carlsen, who became a grandmaster at 13, says the online world has opened the world of chess to a new audience. —Ben Church, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2025

Instead of relying on four-seam fastballs pushing triple digits in velocity, Sabathia evolved into a cerebral pitcher who treated baseball more like a game of chess. —Wayne G. McDonnell, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English chesse, ches, esches, borrowed from Anglo-French escheks, eschez "game of chess" — more at check entry 2

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing chess

• chess pie

Rhymes for chess

• bless
• cress
• dress
• es
• ess
• esse
• fess
• guess
• jess
• less
• lesse
• mess

Kids Definition

chess

noun

ˈches

: a game for two players each of whom plays with 16 pieces on a checkerboard

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ches "game of chess," from early French eschés (same meaning), literally, "checks," from eschec "check" — related to check, checker