Checkmate

The word checkmate comes directly from the Persian phrase "Shāh māt" (شاه مات), which literally translates to "the King is helpless," "the King is defeated," or "the King is dead."

Its journey into the English language spans centuries and cultures as the game traveled along ancient trade routes from Persia into Europe.

The Linguistic Evolution

As the game moved west, the phrase adapted to the languages of the regions it passed through:

• Persian: Shāh māt ("The King is helpless")
• Arabic: Shāh māta (Adopted as Persian terms spread across the Islamic world)
• Old French: Eschecs mat 
• Middle English: Chek-mate (14th Century)
• Modern English: Checkmate