chekmat

Middle English

Alternative forms

• cheke-mate, chekmaat, chek-maat, chek mat, chekmate, chek-mate, chek mate

Etymology

Etymology tree

Old French eschec matbor.

Middle English chekmat

From Old French eschec mat, from Arabic شَاه مَاتَ (šāh māta), from Persian شاه مات (šâh mât, “the king [is] amazed”), perhaps conflated with Arabic مَاتَ (māta, “to die”). Equivalent to chek +‎ mat.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃɛkˌmaːt/, /ˈt͡ʃɛːkˌmaːt/

Interjection

chekmat

1. (chess) Said when the opponent's king is captured. [from 14th c.]

Descendants

• English: checkmate

Noun

chekmat (uncountable)

1. checkmate (total defeat or ruination)

Descendants

• English: checkmate

Adjective

chekmat

1. Totally defeated or ruined.

References

• “chek-māt, adj. & n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.