Word
checkmate
Phoneticscheck·mate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt/
UK/tʃˈɛkmeɪt/
Sports
Definition
n. a position in a game of chess where the king is trapped and cannot move. It is the way you win the game.
n. a position in chess where the king is under threat of capture and has no legal move to escape. It is the standard method of winning a game.
Examples
“He won the game with a quick checkmate.”
“The player's opponent made a mistake that allowed him to deliver a checkmate in just three moves.”
“While the opening was aggressive, the player's lack of experience eventually led to a checkmate that he failed to see coming from his own side.”
Examples
simple
“He won the game with a quick checkmate.”
contextual
“The player's opponent made a mistake that allowed him to deliver a checkmate in just three moves.”
complex
“While the opening was aggressive, the player's lack of experience eventually led to a checkmate that he failed to see coming from his own side.”
Etymology
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/checkmate