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
Those men, in a way, were chess pieces being played in the name of social standing, financial stability, and power. — Raymond Ang, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026 Was Holmes simply playing 3D chess—engineering a moment that would portray her partner as controlling? — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026 The collaboration also includes a selection of games, including playing cards and roll-up chess and backgammon boards. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026 The book opens with the suicide of a wealthy Munich businessman named Dieter Frisch near Vienna, leading to flashbacks of a revenge plot orchestrated through the game of chess. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 22 Oct. 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

See All Rhymes for chess

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 27 Oct. 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

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