șah

șah¹ shah

Pronunciation

• /ʃah/^[4]

Forms

șah m (plural șahi)^[4] MDA2 records the old variants shiac and șac.^[5]

Etymology

The word for the shah is borrowed from Ottoman Turkish شاه (şah), from Persian شاه (šāh, “king”).^{[2][4][6][7][8]} MDA2 also names French schah or shah for the modern title, and DN German and French.^[5][9] Ciorănescu compares Modern Greek σάχης (sáchis), and calls the word a doublet of the name of chess.^[3][10]

Earliest recorded meaning

Tiktin dates the first record to about 1640, in Grigore Ureche's chronicle; the old sense is the king of Persia.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

The chroniclers used it for the Persian ruler: Neculce tells how the Turk gave the Kizilbash shah much money to keep the peace.^[6] In 19th-century poetry it could stand for the sultan, as in Bolintineanu.^[6][11] Today it names the ruler of Iran before the Islamic revolution and his rank, like șahinșah.^[5][1]

Timeline

• c. 1640 – Grigore Ureche's chronicle.^[2]
• 19th century – Bolintineanu uses it for the sultan.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. shah: the title of the ruler of Iran; a person who bears it; șahinșah.^[1][5]
2. (obsolete) The sultan.^[5][2]

șah² chess

Pronunciation

• /ʃah/^[4]

Forms

șah n (plural șahuri)^[4]

Etymology

The word for chess is borrowed from German Schach.^{[2][5][3][12][4]} Ciorănescu and Scriban also compare the Russian name of the game.^[3][7] DEX gives one etymology for the whole entry, Turkish with a reference to German.^[1]

The German word, Middle High German schāch in the 13th century, came through Middle Dutch scaec from Old French eschac.^[13][14] Its source is شاه (šāh, “king”), the name of the main piece, which the attacking player called out; from that call the whole game was named.^[14][13]

Earliest recorded meaning

Tiktin's first record is from 1837, in Costache Negruzzi's translation of Maria Tudor.^[2] MDA2 and the DLR cite a periodical of 1838: „Să juca în șah” “they were playing chess”.^[5][15]

Semantic evolution

The name of the game also names the set of board and pieces, the sport, and the position in which a king is attacked, with the call șah! “check!”.^[5][1] From the game come șah mat “checkmate”, a da șah “to give check” and a ține pe cineva în șah “to keep someone in check”, figuratively “to keep someone under pressure”.^[1][2][12] In the press of the 2000s a da șah also means “to catch someone off guard”, and new phrases such as șah rapid name forms of the game.^[16]

Timeline

• 1837 – șah in Negruzzi's Maria Tudor.^[2]
• 1838 – „Să juca în șah” in a periodical.^[5][15]
• before 1846 – a text says that a man who respects himself must play chess.^[15]
• 2006 – a da șah “to take by surprise” in the press.^[16]

Meanings

Noun

1. chess: a game for two players on a board of 64 black and white squares, with 32 pieces, which aims to capture the opponent's king; the board and pieces; the sport.^[1][5][4]
2. check: a position in which a king is attacked by an opposing piece;^[1][5] a da șah “to give check”.^[1][5]

Interjection

1. The call announcing that the opponent's king is attacked: “check!”.^[5][1]

Word family

• șahist