xeque-mate

Portuguese

/ˌʃɛ.ki.ˈma.t͡ʃi/, /ˌʃɛ.ke.ˈma.te/

noun
Definitions
  • (chess) checkmate conclusive victory in a game of chess
  • (figurative) checkmate situation with no obvious escape

Etymology

Derived from Old French eschec mat derived from Persian شاه مات (the king is dead, the king is conquered, h mt, the king amazed, the king is ambushed, the king died, checkmate, the king is ambushed conquered, the king is amazed, the king dead, the king is helpless).

Origin

Persian

شاه مات

Gloss

the king is dead, the king is conquered, h mt, the king amazed, the king is ambushed, the king died, checkmate, the king is ambushed conquered, the king is amazed, the king dead, the king is helpless

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms