chemmy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, colloquial, slang
Quick answer
What does “chemmy” mean?
A colloquial British term for the card game 'chemin de fer', a variant of baccarat.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A colloquial British term for the card game 'chemin de fer', a variant of baccarat.
Used informally to refer to gambling or casino culture associated with this game. In some contexts, it can be used humorously or dismissively about gambling.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively British. It is rare to non-existent in general American English vocabulary.
Connotations
In the UK, it has connotations of a certain era (mid-20th century) and social class (sometimes upper-class gambling). In the US, it is an unknown term.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency overall. Its use is confined to specific subcultures (gamblers, casino enthusiasts) in the UK.
Grammar
How to Use “chemmy” in a Sentence
play [OBJECT: chemmy]lose [ADVERBIAL: at chemmy]win [ADVERBIAL: at chemmy]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chemmy” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He spent the evening chemmying away his inheritance.
- They used to chemmy at the old club.
adjective
British English
- He had a chemmy habit he couldn't shake.
- The chemmy crowd was very exclusive.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Not used (except potentially in historical or sociological studies of gambling).
Everyday
Rare. Might be used humorously or by older generations in the UK to refer to gambling.
Technical
Used in the specific context of casino gaming to refer to 'chemin de fer'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chemmy”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chemmy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chemmy”
- Spelling as 'chemmie' or 'chemmy'. Using it as a general term for chemistry (a false friend).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not related. It is a shortening of the French 'chemin de fer' (meaning 'railway'), which is the name of a card game.
Virtually never. The game 'chemin de fer' itself is known, but the colloquial shortening 'chemmy' is a Britishism.
No, it is a low-frequency, informal term. Its use is mostly confined to specific contexts involving gambling culture, particularly in the UK.
In very informal British contexts, it can be used creatively as a verb meaning 'to play chemmy', but this is non-standard and rare.
A colloquial British term for the card game 'chemin de fer', a variant of baccarat.
Chemmy is usually informal, colloquial, slang in register.
Chemmy: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtʃɛmi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtʃɛmi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'Chemmy' as a short, friendly nickname for the more formal French 'chemin de fer' (railway), picturing cards speeding like a train.
Conceptual Metaphor
GAMBLING IS A JOURNEY (from 'chemin' meaning path/road).
Practice
Quiz
What is 'chemmy' a colloquial term for?