Word
playing card
Definition
compound. one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper with numbers and pictures used for games.
compound. a rectangular piece of heavy paper or plastic, typically part of a set of 52, used for gaming or gambling. Countable noun.
Examples
“He dealt each person a playing card.”
“She shuffled the deck and asked me to pick a playing card for the magic trick.”
“The archaeologist discovered a preserved playing card from the seventeenth century, suggesting that such pastimes were common among the local garrison.”
Examples
simple
“He dealt each person a playing card.”
contextual
“She shuffled the deck and asked me to pick a playing card for the magic trick.”
complex
“The archaeologist discovered a preserved playing card from the seventeenth century, suggesting that such pastimes were common among the local garrison.”
Usage
usually used in the plural when referring to the set or the activity of gaming.
Teaching tip
teach alongside related collective nouns like 'deck' or 'pack' of cards; note that 'playing' is often dropped in casual conversation once the context is established.
Related words
- 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.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL 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: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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