checkmate
Word called out by the victor when making a move that wins the game.
Interjection
- Word called out by the victor when making a move that wins the game.
- Said when one has placed a person in a losing situation with no escape.
Origin
From Middle English chekmat, from Old French eschec mat, from Arabic شَاه مَاتَ (šāh māta), from Classical Persian شاه مات (šāh māt, “the king [is] amazed”).
Forms
Synonyms
Noun
- The conclusive victory in a game of chess that occurs when an opponent's king is threatened with unavoidable capture.
- This immediately ends the game, provided that the move producing the checkmate position was in accordance with Article 3 and Articles 4.2 – 4.7. - 2022, “2023 Laws of Chess”, in FIDE, page 10:
- Any losing situation with no escape; utter defeat.
Forms
Hyponyms
Related
Verb
- To put the king of an opponent into checkmate.
- My opponent checkmated me in four moves!
- The game is won by the player who has checkmated his/her opponent’s king. - 2022, “2023 Laws of Chess”, in FIDE, page 10:
- To place in a losing situation that has no escape.
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