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 three-batter minimum simplified the bullpen chess that once demanded encyclopedic knowledge of platoon splits. —Dennis Lin, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026

Set during the Cold War, the show follows two chess grandmasters — one American, one Soviet — both connected to Florence, the role JoJo will inhabit. —Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026

About the Show Chess is set during the Cold War and follows two chess grandmasters — one American, one Soviet — both connected to Florence. —Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026

The other objects in the exhibit, and there are about 10, pick up on the chess board’s essence of riding the line between being a work of art and a functional object. —Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 23 Mar. 2026

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