chess

Where does the word "chess" come from? It comes from Sanskrit chaturaṅga, passing through Persian and Old French before entering English (c. 1300s).

Chess’s story begins in Sanskrit: chaturaṅga meant “a four-part war game.” Literally "four divisions", referring to the parts of an ancient army. By c. 600s-700s, the word had taken hold in Persian as shatranj. Adapted after the game reached Persia and spread with Islamic expansion. From there it passed into Old French as eschec(s) by c. 1100s. Named after the "check" move rather than the whole game. It reached English by c. 1300s as chess. Settled as the name for the full board game. Today, chess means a strategic board game for two players played on a checkered board.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · c. 600s chaturaṅga "a four-part war game", literally "four divisions", referring to the parts of an ancient army.
2. Stage 2 · Persian · c. 600s-700s shatranj "the game of chess", adapted after the game reached Persia and spread with Islamic expansion.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · c. 1100s eschec(s) "the game of chess", named after the "check" move rather than the whole game.
4. Stage 4 · English · c. 1300s chess "the strategy board game", settled as the name for the full board game.