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checkmate

Etymology and origin of the English word checkmate

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From
Old French eschec mat

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈt͡ʃɛkmeɪt/[1]

Etymology

It comes from Middle English chek mat,[2][3][4] from Old French eschec mat,[2][3][5][4] from Arabic شاه مات (šāh māt),[2][3][5][6][4] from Persian شاه مات (šāh māt).[3][6][4] The Arabic phrase was understood as “the king died”, but Barnhart, followed by Etymonline, sees a misinterpretation of Persian māt “astonished, stumped”,[3][5] so that the Persian phrase meant “the king is left helpless”.[5][6][4] The first element is related to shah and to check.[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In chess, the cry of a player putting the opposing king in inescapable check, and the move itself (before 1346).[7][3][5]

Semantic evolution

From the start the word was used figuratively as well, for defeating or undoing someone completely.[7][5] The verb is recorded from the late 14th century, first in the figurative sense of thwarting or defeating;[5][7][3] as a chess term the verb dates only from 1789.[5][7]

Timeline

  • before 1346 – the chess cry; to say checkmate, to defeat.[7][3]
  • before 1375 – verb, to checkmate (Barnhart).[3]
  • before 1400 – verb, to defeat utterly.[7][5]
  • 1789 – verb, in chess.[7][5]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. In chess, a move that attacks the opposing king so that it cannot escape, ending the game; also the position of a king so attacked.
  2. Complete defeat.

Verb

  1. To put an opponent's king in checkmate.
  2. To defeat or thwart completely.

Interjection

  1. Said in chess when giving checkmate.
  • stalemate
  • check
  • chess
  • mate
  • shah

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Checkmate.” Etymologically, 14 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/checkmate. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·