Answers.Body: <p>According to the <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkmate" rel="noreferrer">Merriam-Webster dictionary</a>, <em>checkmate</em> comes from the Middle English <em>chekmaten</em>, which is derived from the Anglo-French <em>eschec mat</em>. And this came from the Persian <em>shāh māt</em> through the Arabic language.</p>
  <p>The Persian word <em>shāh</em> means king. (With a definite article, it becomes <em>as-shāh</em>, the king.)</p>
  <p>But I found two different interpretations for <em>māt</em>:</p>
  <ul>
  <li>unable to escape (<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkmate" rel="noreferrer">Merriam-Webster</a>)</li>
  <li>dead (<a href="https://dle.rae.es/mate?m=form" rel="noreferrer">Dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy</a>, <a href="http://stella.atilf.fr/Dendien/scripts/tlfiv5/visusel.exe?75;s=2924604180;r=2;nat=;sol=0;" rel="noreferrer">Treasure of the French Language</a>)</li>
  </ul>
  <p>So, <em>as-shāh māt</em> -&gt; checkmate = the king is dead!</p>
  
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Answers.Text: Also the word “מת” in Hebrew means death. It could be a source... Transliterated, it is “meit”. (Sorry I cannot do the phonetic thing lol)
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Answers.Body: <p>It comes from arabic al shah met. Simple</p>
  
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Answers.Text: Hi, it is very possible that the phrase made its way from Persian to European languages through arabic but if you can add valuable information that's not already in the accepted answer, you should please edit it in your answer, with sources. As it currently stands, your answer would get deleted because it is just a one sentence statement without supporting explanation.
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Body: <p>While watching <em>The Queen's Gambit</em> my partner asked me: why do they say &quot;checkmate&quot;? But she wanted to know what is the origin of this expression, not its meaning. And I realized I didn't actually know. So, what is the origin of the expression &quot;checkmate&quot; and its etymology?</p>
  
Tags: <checkmate><history><terminology>
Title: Where does the expression "checkmate" come from?
ThreadText: # Where does the expression "checkmate" come from?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2020-11-04)
  
  While watching *The Queen's Gambit* my partner asked me: why do they say "checkmate"? But she wanted to know what is the origin of this expression, not its meaning. And I realized I didn't actually know. So, what is the origin of the expression "checkmate" and its etymology?
  
  **Tags:** checkmate, history, terminology
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_0 on 2020-11-04. Score: 5 | Accepted answer
  
  According to the [Merriam-Webster dictionary](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkmate), *checkmate* comes from the Middle English *chekmaten*, which is derived from the Anglo-French *eschec mat*. And this came from the Persian *shāh māt* through the Arabic language.
  
  The Persian word *shāh* means king. (With a definite article, it becomes *as-shāh*, the king.)
  
  But I found two different interpretations for *māt*:
  
  * unable to escape ([Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkmate))
  * dead ([Dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy](https://dle.rae.es/mate?m=form), [Treasure of the French Language](http://stella.atilf.fr/Dendien/scripts/tlfiv5/visusel.exe?75;s=2924604180;r=2;nat=;sol=0;))
  
  So, *as-shāh māt* -> checkmate = the king is dead!
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Also the word “מת” in Hebrew means death. It could be a source... Transliterated, it is “meit”. (Sorry I cannot do the phonetic thing lol)  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2024-09-15. Score: 0
  
  It comes from arabic al shah met. Simple
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: Hi, it is very possible that the phrase made its way from Persian to European languages through arabic but if you can add valuable information that's not already in the accepted answer, you should please edit it in your answer, with sources. As it currently stands, your answer would get deleted because it is just a one sentence statement without supporting explanation.  
  
  ---
  
  