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 interplay of these checks and balances is like a chess match. —David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024

After enjoying a dramatic spike in popularity, chess is at a moment of reckoning. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024

If none of Grandpa’s grandkids are up for a chess match, no prob. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2024

With most chess players’ performances tending to decline after the age of 35, Nakamura is likely approaching the end of his competitive career. —Jamie Barton, CNN, 20 Oct. 2024

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

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