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
Hall of Fame analyst Pam Shriver says the age gap adds a fascinating dimension to the grass-court chess match. Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026 Kramnik — who held the world chess champion title from 2000 to 2007 — has been banned from participating in worldwide FIDE chess competitions or acting in official chess functions for at least one year. Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026 Rapid and blitz — faster, more intense forms of chess — were Naroditsky’s favorite formats. Maveah Griffith, Charlotte Observer, 29 June 2026 All of this is a game of chess to defeat Porsha. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chess. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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

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