# checkmate

> English word · Interjection · IPA /ˈt͡ʃɛkmeɪt/ · frequency rank #29,593

## Definitions
1. Word called out by the victor when making a move that wins the game.
2. Said when one has placed a person in a losing situation with no escape.

## Etymology
From Middle English chekmat, from Old French eschec mat, from Arabic شَاه مَاتَ (šāh māta), from Classical Persian شاه مات (šāh māt, “the king [is] amazed”).

## Common misspellings (14)
`ccheckmate`, `cehckmate`, `chcekmate`, `checckmate`, `checkamte`, `checkkmate`, `checkmaet`, `checkmatte`, `checkmmate`, `checkmtae`, `checmkate`, `chekcmate`, `chheckmate`, `hceckmate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/checkmate