hole card

noun

1
: a card in stud poker that is properly dealt facedown and that the holder need not expose before the showdown
2
: something (such as a reliable advantage) that is held in reserve especially for use at a strategic moment

Examples of hole card in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The action will then fast-forward to the flop, with the entire table entered with whatever hole cards they were dealt. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2024 In a poker game, the other side doesn’t get to see your pocket hole cards until the call. Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Jan. 2024 Combining two hole cards and five community cards, the goal is to put together the best possible five-card combinations. Kevin Wolff, cleveland, 6 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hole card was in 1908

Dictionary Entries Near hole card

Cite this Entry

“Hole card.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hole%20card. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!