bunco

[ buhng-koh ]

noun

buncoed buncoingplural: buncos

1. bunko.

bunco

/ ˈbʊŋkəʊ /

noun

1. a swindle, esp one by confidence tricksters

verb

1. tr to swindle; cheat

Word History and Origins

Origin of bunco¹

C19: perhaps from Spanish banca bank (in gambling), from Italian banca bank ¹

Example Sentences

Traveling around in her golf cart, she plays bocce and bunco, takes birding walks and goes to tribute band concerts.

From New York Times

The community has bunco and poker clubs too, she said.

From Washington Post

Place in the win column Frank Loesser’s priceless score and a big cast commandingly in tune with a vintage New York of bunco artists, chorus girls, soul savers and high rollers.

From Washington Post

I was later informed that each hostess does NOT have the right to set safety protocols for her own home while playing bunco.

From Washington Post

The game lasted more than an hour, until finally, with the clatter of the dice, there were cries of “bunco.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• chicanery
• deception
• fraud
• scam
• swindle
• trick
• trickery