casino: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral
Quick answer
What does “casino” mean?
A building or room used for gambling and other entertainment, such as restaurants, bars, and live shows.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A building or room used for gambling and other entertainment, such as restaurants, bars, and live shows.
A term used historically to refer to a small villa or summerhouse, and in card games (e.g., cassino/casinò), but in contemporary usage it overwhelmingly denotes a gambling establishment. It can also be used metaphorically to describe any situation involving high risk and chance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Similar connotations in both varieties: risk, glamour (often portrayed in media), potential vice, and economic development/tourism.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties, with frequency tied to local legality and cultural exposure to gambling.
Grammar
How to Use “casino” in a Sentence
N (The casino was crowded)N + for + N (a casino for high rollers)N + in + N (a casino in Macau)N + of + N (the casino of Monte Carlo)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “casino” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- 'Casino' is not used as a verb in standard British English.
American English
- 'Casino' is not used as a verb in standard American English.
adverb
British English
- No adverbial form in common use.
American English
- No adverbial form in common use.
adjective
British English
- The casino license was revoked.
- They offer casino-style games.
American English
- He works in casino security.
- It was a casino-funded project.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Discussions of tourism, hospitality, entertainment industry, regulation, and revenue: 'The new casino project is expected to boost local employment.'
Academic
Rare outside specific fields like economics (tourism studies), sociology (addiction research), or history (e.g., 'The development of casinos in Nevada').
Everyday
Talking about travel, entertainment, or expressing moral views: 'We saw a show at the casino.' / 'He lost all his money at the casino.'
Technical
In gaming industry contexts, referring to operations, security, game mathematics (house edge), and regulatory compliance.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “casino”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “casino”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “casino”
- Misspelling: 'cassino' (acceptable only for the card game).
- Using as a general term for any entertainment venue.
- Incorrect plural: 'casinos' (not 'casinoes').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is borrowed from Italian, where 'casino' originally meant 'little house' or 'cottage'.
In modern English, it almost exclusively refers to a gambling establishment. The older meaning of a small villa is obsolete, and the card game 'cassino' is spelt differently and is niche.
No. The standard plural is 'casinos'.
No. While many are large resorts (especially in Las Vegas or Macau), a casino can also be a single room in a hotel, a riverboat, or a website (online casino).
A building or room used for gambling and other entertainment, such as restaurants, bars, and live shows.
Casino is usually neutral in register.
Casino: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈsiːnəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈsiːnoʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The casino always wins”
- “A roll of the dice (not exclusive, but related)”
- “Bet the house”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine SEEING NO money left after a night at the ca-SEE-no.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A GAMBLE / A CASINO IS A TEMPLE OF CHANCE.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary contemporary meaning of 'casino'?