face card

American

noun

the king, queen, or jack of playing cards.

face card British

noun

Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): court card. (in a pack of playing cards) a king, queen, or jack of any suit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of face card

First recorded in 1665–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That sums up the Supreme Court’s unenviable hand, which doesn’t contain as much as a face card, let alone an ace.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 10, 2024

Only in this season, they're face card games, pitting players against seemingly invincible Jacks, Kings and Queens.

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2022

Below this list the number or face card appearing in each suit.

From Textbooks • Sep. 23, 2020

When a dealer is showing a face card, proper strategy suggests a player should always hit on 16.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 25, 2019

Lennie reached for a face card and studied it, then turned it upside down and studied it.

From "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023