backgammon

Meanings

Noun

• A board game for two players in which each has 15 stones which move between 24 triangular points according to the roll of a pair of dice; the object is to move all of one's pieces around, and bear them off the board.
• A victory in the game when the loser has not borne off a stone, and still has one or more stones in the winner's inner home row or on the bar.

Verb

• To win at a backgammon game with the opponent having one or more pieces in the winner’s inner home row or on the bar.

Origin

• Probably from back + Middle English gamen, from Old English gamen ("amusement, game").