pachisi

noun

pa·chi·si pə-ˈchē-zē

: an ancient board game played with dice and counters on a cruciform board in which players attempt to be the first to reach the home square

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web There are paintings which show Shiva and Parvati playing pachisi, while Mahabharata has Karna and Duryodhana’s wife playing ashta chemma. —

Mallik Thatipalli, Quartz India, 13 Nov. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pachisi.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Urdu pacīsī, from pacīs twenty-five

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of pachisi was in 1867

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pachisi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pachisi. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

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