canasta

American  

[kuh-nas-tuh] / kəˈnæs tə /

noun

Cards.

1. a variety of rummy in which the main object is to meld sets of seven or more cards.

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canasta British  

/ kəˈnæstə /

noun

1. a card game for two to six players who seek to amass points by declaring sets of cards

2. Also called: meld.  a declared set in this game, containing seven or more like cards, worth 500 points if the canasta is pure or 300 if wild (containing up to three jokers)

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Etymology

Origin of canasta

1945–50; < Spanish: literally, basket, apparently variant of canastro < Greek kánastron wicker basket ( canister )

Example Sentences

It was top of mind for several people who milled around a community center recently as a canasta game ended in Plantation, Fla.

From New York Times • Apr. 22, 2023

Once, Messersmith and his roommate, catcher John Olerud, rallied to beat teammates Jim Coates and Marty Pattin in a tense game of canasta.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 20, 2022

The “bible”, a kind of taco encyclopedia which he plans to publish, was the foundation for the show’s six episodes on barbacoa, carnitas, carne asada, tacos de canasta, guisados, and al pastor.

From The Guardian • Jan. 3, 2020

A classic Mexican street treat, tacos de canasta are traditionally layered in a big basket and sold from vendors on bikes.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2019

Once in a while, my mother's canasta friends, who declared they hated pennies in their purses, disposed of them gladly in the whale's mouth or the canopy of cloud.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

• poker
• roulette