ENGLISH
REFERENCE

casino

n.
US //kəˈsinoʊ// UK //kɐsˈiːnəʊ// casi·no
  1. 1 gambling house (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a building or room where people gamble and play games like poker or roulette for money.

    a public building or establishment where various forms of gambling are conducted.

    Example

    They spent the evening at the casino playing blackjack and watching the show.

    Example

    The city's economy relies heavily on the revenue generated by the luxury casinos along the waterfront.
    • gambling house
    • gaming hall
  2. 2 card game (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    a card game for two to four players, usually spelled 'Cassino'.

    a fishing-style card game, typically for two to four players, involving capturing cards from a layout on the table.

    Example

    My grandfather taught us how to play casino during the long summer afternoons.

    Example

    In the traditional game of casino, the ten of diamonds is a particularly valuable card for scoring points.

    Usage

    Often spelled with a double 's' to distinguish it from the gambling establishment.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a niche sense; most modern speakers will only know the gambling meaning.
    • cassino
  3. 3 pleasure house (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary

    a small house or summer home, especially in Italy, used for relaxing.

    a small country house or lodge designed for pleasure or leisure. This sense reflects the word's Italian origin before it became associated primarily with gambling.

    Example

    The old casino in the garden was once a place for music and dancing.

    Example

    The estate featured a charming eighteenth-century casino, originally built as a private retreat for the count's guests.

    Teacher's tip

    Use this only when discussing historical Italian architecture or literature.
Origin

From Italian casino, diminutive form of casa (“house”), from Latin casa (“cottage, hut”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 19, 2026