chemin de fer

noun

che·min de fer shə-ˌman-də-ˈfer

plural chemins de fer shə-ˌman-də-ˈfer

: a card game in which two hands are dealt, any number of players may bet against the dealer, and the winning hand is the one that comes closer to but does not exceed a count of nine on two or three cards

Examples of chemin de fer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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On the light-colored front dial, a chemin de fer minute track frames a central rectangle decorated with a sunray guilloché pattern; applied Arabic numerals line the periphery. —

Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 29 Apr. 2021

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, railroad

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of chemin de fer was in 1891

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Chemin de fer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chemin%20de%20fer. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

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