pawn

English

/pɔːn/, /pɔn/, /pɑn/, /pɑɒn/

noun
Definitions
  • (chess) The most common chess piece, or a similar piece in a similar game. In chess each side has eight; moves are only forward, and attacks are only forward diagonally or en passant.
  • (figurative) Someone who is being manipulated or used to some end.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English pown derived from paun derived from Old French poon derived from Latin pedonis, pedō, pedo, ped-, pes, pēs (foot) root from Proto-Indo-European *ped- (step, foot, walk, fall, stumble).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*ped-

Gloss

step, foot, walk, fall, stumble

Concept
Semantic Field

The house

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Kanji

歩

Emoji
🪜

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms