canasta

noun

ca·​nas·​ta kə-ˈna-stə How to pronounce canasta (audio)
1
: a form of rummy using two full decks in which players or partnerships try to meld groups of three or more cards of the same rank and score bonuses for 7-card melds
2
: a meld of seven cards of the same rank in canasta

Examples of canasta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some of these include lunches, dances, game day such as bridge and canasta, pickleball, table tennis, exercise including Zumba Gold and strengthening, art and educational classes, as well as movie days — all of which are intended to enrich life and foster friendships. Sharon Hlapcich, Orange County Register, 6 Feb. 2025 Plus, coordinating two decks is a stylish way to play certain games—canasta, anyone? Belle Duchene, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Aug. 2023 Few people would brag about owning these road crushers, which were relegated mostly to winter but when more respectable types were stuck at home playing canasta. Martin Padgett Jr., Car and Driver, 2 Aug. 2023 Nursing a canasta defeat nearby, Jacque Deuser, 67, said the way Mr. Biden sometimes walked reminded her of her late husband, who had dementia. Katie Glueck, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2023 See all Example Sentences for canasta 

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, literally, basket

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of canasta was in 1948

Dictionary Entries Near canasta

Cite this Entry

“Canasta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canasta. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on canasta

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!