chess

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈches How to pronounce chess (audio)
: 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
Under the Taliban’s draconian interpretation of sharia, watching movies, playing chess, singing, and playing or listening to music are all banned. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026 The Horned Frogs operated well when in 13 (three tight ends, one receiver) and 12 personnel and going forward, that position group could be the ultimate chess piece for the Horned Frogs. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026 The service got its name from the original Mechanical Turk, an 18th century chess-playing robot that was actually controlled by a human chess master. — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 The business is also growing its base of millions of curious thinkers with non-language subjects; Preply now covers math, computer science, and chess. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026 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

Phrases Containing chess

Rhymes for chess

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Browse Nearby Words

chesnut
chess
chessboard
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Cite this Entry

“Chess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chess. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chess

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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