Aha Trivia Stuff Everyone Should Know
Aha Trivia: Stuff Everyone Should Know · ahatrivia.com/mb-chess-9363fc8b4396

What does the word checkmate come from?

Persian for the king is dead.

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  1. French for the king is trapped
  2. Persian for the king is dead ✔
  3. Latin for the game is over

Why: The word checkmate comes from the Persian phrase shah mat, meaning the king is dead.

Huh, didn't know that: The word checkmate comes from the Persian phrase shah mat, meaning the king is dead.

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References

Answer: Persian for the king is dead. The word checkmate comes from the Persian phrase shah mat, meaning the king is dead.

  1. Chess en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess
    The word "checkmate" is derived from the Persian shāh māt ("the king is dead").
    Checked 2026-11-07.

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