trictrac: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Rare / ObsoleteHistorical, Literary
Quick answer
What does “trictrac” mean?
An old table game played with dice, counters and a special board.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An old table game played with dice, counters and a special board; the game of backgammon.
Refers specifically to the historical French version of backgammon, often connoting a leisurely, genteel or archaic pastime.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is equally rare and historical in both varieties. It is associated with French culture and literature.
Connotations
Evokes 17th-19th century France, aristocracy, salons, and old-world leisure.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in modern corpora of both BrE and AmE. Known primarily to historians, classicists, and avid readers of historical fiction.
Grammar
How to Use “trictrac” in a Sentence
[Subject] played trictrac.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “trictrac” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The gentlemen would often trictrac the evening away. (archaic, rare usage)
American English
- They were trictrac-ing in the library. (archaic, rare usage)
adverb
British English
- None standard.
American English
- None standard.
adjective
British English
- None standard.
American English
- None standard.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical, literary, or game studies contexts.
Everyday
Never used in modern everyday conversation.
Technical
Used with precise historical meaning in studies of games or French culture.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “trictrac”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “trictrac”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “trictrac”
- Spelling it as 'trick-track' or 'trict-track'.
- Using it to refer to any modern board game.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is essentially the same game family, but 'trictrac' refers specifically to the traditional French version and its historical context.
Only with a very specific, deliberate intent to sound archaic or literary. It is not part of modern active vocabulary.
It imitates the sound of dice being shaken and thrown onto a wooden board.
In translations of French classical literature (e.g., works by Marcel Proust, Alexandre Dumas) or historical texts about games.
An old table game played with dice, counters and a special board.
Trictrac is usually historical, literary in register.
Trictrac: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtrɪktræk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtrɪktræk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this word.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: The TRICKling sound of dice on a TRACk is 'trictrac'.
Conceptual Metaphor
ARISTOCRATIC LEISURE IS TRICTRAC
Practice
Quiz
What is 'trictrac'?