Checker
/ˈtʃɛk.ər/noun
A piece used in certain board games, or a person or thing that checks, tests, or verifies something.
Did you know?The game sense of *checker* comes from the same root as *check*, originally tied to the idea of stopping, restraining, or verifying — which is why so many words in this family orbit control and boundaries.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*keg-
“to catch, seize, or hold back”
Old French
OF
eschequier
“a chessboard; the game of chess”
Middle English
ME
cheker
“a checkerboard pattern; a piece used in the game of draughts”
16th Century
English
checker
“a piece marked with squares or used in a board game”
Modern English
English
checker
“a piece used in checkers, or someone who checks or verifies”