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mat

checkmate (chess)

noun MAHT Rare

Origin: Persian 'shah mat' (the king is dead)

Also means

mast (nautical)

Usage Note

mat in chess is the decisive end of the game — faire mat or mettre en mat means 'to checkmate.' As an adjective it also means 'dull, matte' (as in a non-shiny surface). These two uses are unrelated in etymology.

Examples

"Il a dit 'mat' après le dernier mouvement."

Natural Translation

He said 'checkmate' after the last move.

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