chess

1 of 2

noun (1)

: 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

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
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Noun
California Can chess games and toilet paper change prison culture? Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025 Denver still lost that stretch by one, in large part because Clippers coach Tyronn Lue — winning a temporary chess match — trotted out starting center Ivica Zubac. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 29 Apr. 2025 Playing the line chess game One of the main factors at play in Game 2’s 6-3 Montreal win was the utter lack of production from Washington’s top line; Dylan Strome, Alex Ovechkin and Anthony Beauviller had no answer for Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovský. The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025 Well, Kansas City coach Andy Reid moved Worthy around the chess board, and the dynamic rookie finished last season with 59 catches for 638 yards, six receiving touchdowns and three more rushing touchdowns. Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chess

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of chess was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Chess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chess. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on chess

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