faro

¹

[ fair-oh ]

noun

, Cards.

1. a gambling game in which players place bets on a special board or layout, betting on each series of two cards as they are drawn from a box containing the dealer's or banker's pack.

Faro

²

[ fah-roo ]

noun

1. a seaport in S Portugal.

faro

¹

/ ˈfɛərəʊ /

noun

1. a gambling game in which players bet against the dealer on what cards he will turn up

Faro

²

/ ˈfɑːrəʊ /

noun

1. a port and resort in S Portugal: destroyed by earthquakes in 1722 and 1755. Pop: 58 051 (2001)

Word History and Origins

Origin of faro¹

1725–35; spelling variant of Pharaoh (compare Italian faraone, French pharaon ), alleged to be originally a designation for the king of hearts in the game. See Pharaoh

Word History and Origins

Origin of faro¹

C18: probably spelling variant of Pharaoh

Example Sentences

Without any sour cream, I would be inclined to choose a dry red with the earthy flavors of mushrooms, leeks and faro.

From New York Times

During a sojourn in Paris she gambled regularly at faro and one night lost an extravagant sum.

From Washington Post

He could get a job dealing faro in Reno—regular hours and no dames.

From Literature

The liquor from the vegetables turned the faro beneath them into something extraordinary, and roasted garlic suffused the entire dish with a sweet and pungent flavor.

From New York Times

When she cooks for her family, she always uses simple, healthy ingredients like grilled vegetables, lean protein, quinoa, and faro.

From Time