user3757: While watching The Queen's Gambit my partner asked me: why do they say "checkmate"? But she wanted to know what is the origin of this expression, not its meaning. And I realized I didn't actually know. So, what is the origin of the expression "checkmate" and its etymology?

user3757: According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, checkmate comes from the Middle English chekmaten, which is derived from the Anglo-French eschec mat. And this came from the Persian shāh māt through the Arabic language.
The Persian word shāh means king. (With a definite article, it becomes as-shāh, the king.)
But I found two different interpretations for māt:

unable to escape (Merriam-Webster)
dead (Dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy, Treasure of the French Language)

So, as-shāh māt -> checkmate = the king is dead!

3757: <p>While watching <em>The Queen's Gambit</em> my partner asked me: why do they say &quot;checkmate&quot;? But she wanted to know what is the origin of this expression, not its meaning. And I realized I didn't actually know. So, what is the origin of the expression &quot;checkmate&quot; and its etymology?</p>
 3757: <p>According to the <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkmate" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Merriam-Webster dictionary</a>, <em>checkmate</em> comes from the Middle English <em>chekmaten</em>, which is derived from the Anglo-French <em>eschec mat</em>. And this came from the Persian <em>shāh māt</em> through the Arabic language.</p>
<p>The Persian word <em>shāh</em> means king. (With a definite article, it becomes <em>as-shāh</em>, the king.)</p>
<p>But I found two different interpretations for <em>māt</em>:</p>
<ul>
<li>unable to escape (<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkmate" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Merriam-Webster</a>)</li>
<li>dead (<a href="https://dle.rae.es/mate?m=form" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy</a>, <a href="http://stella.atilf.fr/Dendien/scripts/tlfiv5/visusel.exe?75;s=2924604180;r=2;nat=;sol=0;" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Treasure of the French Language</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>So, <em>as-shāh māt</em> -&gt; checkmate = the king is dead!</p>
