pachisi

[ puh-chee-zee, pah- ]

noun

1. a board game, originated in ancient India, in which four players advance four pieces each along a route on a cross-shaped board toward a center square by throws of cowrie shells or dice.
2. a modern version of this game.

pachisi

/ pɑː-; pəˈtʃiːzɪ /

noun

1. an Indian game somewhat resembling backgammon, played on a cruciform board using six cowries as dice

Word History and Origins

Origin of pachisi¹

1790–1800; < Hindi pacīsī, adj. derivative of pacīs twenty-five

Word History and Origins

Origin of pachisi¹

C18: from Hindi pacīsī, from pacīs twenty-five (the highest score possible in one throw)

Example Sentences

We are born gamers, after all — they were playing backgammon in ancient Mesopotamia and pachisi in ancient India, and who knows what prehistoric amusements before that.

From Los Angeles Times

Near the recreation77 building is the famous pachisi or chess board, similar to the one at Agra, where Akbar and his vizier, sitting opposite, marshalled the slave girls to and fro.

From Project Gutenberg

He had his evenings for the pachisi games.

From Project Gutenberg

Xoa had come in from the kitchen and was setting out a small table on which the pachisi board was ready for the evening's regular recreation.

From Project Gutenberg