What does checkerboard mean?
A checkerboard is a surface divided into a grid of alternating light and dark squares, most familiar as the playing field for games like checkers and chess. Beyond its literal sense, the word describes any pattern of regularly alternating squares — kitchen floors, picnic blankets, racing flags, or farmland viewed from above — and can be extended figuratively to describe situations that alternate evenly between two contrasting conditions. The term derives from 'check', a word with roots in the Persian 'shah' (king), which entered English through Arabic and Old French along with the games themselves; this same root gives us 'checkmate' ('the king is dead') and 'exchequer', the counting table once covered with a checkered cloth. The word is standard in both British and American English, though British speakers more often call the game itself draughts.
nounA board divided into alternating light and dark squares, used for playing games such as checkers and chess. By extension, any pattern or arrangement of alternating squares of two contrasting colors or qualities.
- A physical game board with alternating light and dark squares used for checkers or chess.
- A pattern of alternating squares of two contrasting colors, as in fabric, floors, or fields seen from above.
- An arrangement or situation marked by regular alternation between two contrasting states or elements.
"The players arranged their pieces on the checkerboard before the tournament began."
"She set up the checkerboard on the porch and challenged her grandfather to a game of checkers."
"From the plane, the farmland below looked like a vast green-and-gold checkerboard."
The plural is fully regular and applies to both literal boards and figurative patterns.
"The gift shop sold wooden checkerboards handcrafted by local artisans."
The word 'check' — as in checkmate and exchequer — traces back to the Persian 'shah', meaning king: every checkerboard is, etymologically, a king's board.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of checkerboard
Checkerboard combines 'checker', from the Middle English 'chekere', referring to a square in a chess-like board, with 'board'. The word 'check' ultimately descends from the Persian 'shah' (king), passing through Arabic 'shāh' and Old French 'esches' into English alongside the game of chess. The same root produced 'checkmate' (from Persian 'shāh māt', 'the king is dead') and 'exchequer', named for the checkered counting cloth used by medieval English financial officials. The compound 'checkerboard' became established in English by around the 17th century.
How checkerboard is actually used
In British English, the game played on such a board is typically called draughts rather than checkers. The word is common in literal (boards, tiles) and figurative (alternating patterns) uses alike, and carries no strong register constraints.
Easily confused with checkerboard
A chessboard is a checkerboard used specifically for chess, while 'checkerboard' refers more generally to any board or pattern of alternating squares.