échec et mat
French
Etymology
Inherited from Old French eschec mat, from Arabic شَاه مَاتَ (šāh māta), from Persian شاه مات (šâh mât, “the king [is] conquered”). Perhaps conflated with Arabic مَاتَ (māta, “to die”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /e.ʃɛ.k‿e mat/
Audio (Paris): (file)