How do you pronounce whist?

The recorded pronunciation is [ˈw̥ɪst].

Where does whist come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

whist

[ˈw̥ɪst]

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.40 in modern English

Syllables: whist
IPA: [ˈw̥ɪst]

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Any of several four-player card games, similar to bridge.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A session of playing this card game.

Countable; Uncountable

intj

Alternative spelling of whisht. Silence!, quiet!, hush!, shhh!, shush!

intj

Onomatopoeia for slicing.

verb

To hush or shush; to still.

Transitive verb

verb

To become silent.

Intransitive verb

adj

Silent, hushed.

Example Sentences

""We have a loo in College every night-of course that is not every night, but most nights-not a big loo at all, you know, but just a small party of our own. I would almost rather we played whist myself, but the other fellows don't like whist, it's too awfully scientific; and at loo, you know, you can have a bit of a flutter. It helps to pass the time after Hall.""
"… for scarcely had they descended one hundred feet, when a low “whist” from the girl, warned them of present danger."
"Well! she laid down her little golden head without fear; and whist! down came the axe, and it was off. So the mother wiped the axe and laughed."
"o was the Titaness put downe and whist"
"The fields whist, beasts, and fowls of divers bue"
"Come unto these yellow sands, / And then take hands: / Courtsied when you have and kiss'd / The wild waves whist, / Foot it featly here and there; / And, sweet sprites, the burthen bear.[…]"

Etymology

Alteration of whisk, perhaps so called from the notion of “whisking” up cards after each trick. Altered perhaps on assumption that the word was an interjection invoking silence, by influence of whist (“silent”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: whist

Usage

Inflected Forms

whists (plural) whists (present, singular) whisting (participle, present) whisted (participle, past) whisted (past) more whist (comparative) most whist (superlative)

Phrases

bid whist bridge whist Chinese whist domino whist dummy whist German whist honeymoon whist long whist

Frequently Paired Words

Whist in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Synonyms

long whist short whist

Homonyms

wist (wine–whine merger)

Rhymes With

list missed fair list exist assist pissed twist resist dismissed insist wrist kissed