domino

See also: dominó, dominò, and Domino

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:

Dominoes

Wikipedia

Etymology

1801, borrowed from French domino (1771), originally the term for a hooded garment, itself from Medieval Latin domino, oblique case of dominus (“lord, master”); compare Medieval Latin dominicale (“a kind of veil”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: dŏ'mĭnō, IPA^(key): /ˈdɒmɪnəʊ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) enPR: dämĭnō, IPA^(key): /ˈdɑmɪnoʊ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

domino (plural dominos or dominoes)

1. (dominoes) A tile divided into two squares, each having 0 to 6 (or sometimes more) dots or pips (as in dice), used in the game of dominoes. [from c. 1800]
   • 2000, “The Hollow”, performed by A Perfect Circle:

     Dominoes of indiscretions down
     Falling all around, in cycles, in circles
     Constantly consuming
     Conquer and devour

   • 2012 July 11, Tony Plakas, “Mitt's Mormon marriage march”, in Sun-Sentinel‎:

     The Mormon church's past anti-gay positions and its role in financing Proposition 8 – California's 2008 ban on same-sex marriage – may have been the first dominoes to fall around the faithful, but vetting Mitt Romney as a presidential candidate links the straightforward similarities between Mormonophobia and homophobia.

2. (politics) A country that is expected to react to events in a neighboring country, according to the domino effect.
3. A masquerade costume consisting of a hooded robe and a mask covering the upper part of the face.

   Synonym: domino costume

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society, published 1973, page 485:

     all the women were desirous of having the bundle immediately opened; which operation was at length performed by little Betsy, with the consent of Mr Jones: and the contents were found to be a domino, a mask, and a masquerade ticket.

   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Masked Ball”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 175:

     The chair being announced, she fastened on her mask, and drew her domino round her, it not being her intention to display her splendid and fantastic costume till supper, when all the guests were expected to unmask.

   • 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Affair at the Novelty Theatre”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:

     For this scene, a large number of supers are engaged, and in order to further swell the crowd, practically all the available stage hands have to ‘walk on’ dressed in various coloured dominoes, and all wearing masks.

   • 1983, Lawrence Durrell, Sebastian (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 1007:

     Then he hunted for the black carnival domino, supposing that it was the appropriate thing for a penitent to wear.

4. The mask itself.

   Synonyms: domino mask, half mask, eyemask

   • 1872, James De Mille, The Cryptogram‎, HTML edition, The Gutenberg Project, published 2009:

     He wore a domino, but beneath it could be seen his whiskers, cut after the English fashion, and long and pendent.

5. The person wearing the costume.
6. (geometry) A polyomino made up of two squares.

   Synonym: 2-omino

7. (music, colloquial) A mistake in performing.
   • 1932, The Musical Times and Singing-class Circular, page 263:

     Any player is liable to make a 'domino' — that is to say, he goes wool-gathering and continues to play when everyone else has stopped. If he does so at a grown-up concert the fault is irredeemable […]

8. (slang, in the plural) A person's teeth.
   • 1892, Eugène Sue, The Mysteries of Paris, page 182:

     […] break your dominoes by grinding them that way.

   • 1965, Henri Barbusse (tr. W. Fitzwater Wray), Under Fire (page 20)

     Look here, you chaps, don't you chew it too quick, or you'll break your dominoes on the nails!

Derived terms

• domino computer
• domino effect
• dominoes
• Dominoid
• dominolike
• domino surgery
• domino theory
• domino whist
• galloping domino
• polyomino
• triomino

Related terms

• dominate

n squares	name
1 squares	monomino
2 squares	domino
3 squares	tromino or triomino
4 squares	tetromino
5 squares	pentomino
6 squares	hexomino
7 squares	heptomino
8 squares	octomino
9 squares	nonomino or enneomino
10 squares	decomino
11 squares	undecomino
12 squares	dodecomino
n squares	n-omino
unspecified number squares	polyomino

Translations

block used in dominoes

Bulgarian: домино (bg) n (domino) Catalan: dòmino (ca) m, dominó (ca) m Czech: dominový kámen n, dominová kostka f Danish: dominobrik c Finnish: domino (fi), dominopalikka, dominonappula Galician: dominó m Georgian: დომინო (domino) Indonesian: domino (id) Japanese: ドミノ (ja) (domino) Norwegian: Bokmål: dominobrikke m or f Nynorsk: dominobrikke f Plautdietsch: Domieno m Polish: domino (pl) n Portuguese: dominó (pt) m Romanian: domino (ro) n Russian: кость (ru) f (kostʹ), костя́шка (ru) f (kostjáška), colloq. домино́шка (ru) f (dominóška) Spanish: dominó (es) m Tagalog: domino Thai: โดมิโน (th) (doo-mí-nôo)

country responding to the domino effect

Finnish: domino (fi)

masquerade costume

Catalan: dominó (ca) m Danish: domino (da) c Finnish: naamiaisasu (fi) Norwegian: Bokmål: domino m Nynorsk: domino m Polish: domino (pl) n Russian: домино́ (ru) n (dominó)

mask

Bulgarian: домино (bg) n (domino) Catalan: dominó (ca) m Czech: škraboška (cs) f Danish: domino (da) c, halvmaske c Finnish: naamio (fi) Russian: домино́ (ru) n (dominó)

person wearing the costume

Catalan: dominó (ca) Polish: domino (pl) n

polyomino made up of two squares

Finnish: domino (fi) Russian: домино́ (ru) n (dominó)

Verb

domino (third-person singular simple present dominoes, present participle dominoing, simple past and past participle dominoed)

1. (intransitive) To collapse in the manner of dominoes.
   • 2010, Ring of Fire: An Indonesian Odyssey, →ISBN, page 107:

     A dismasting often means the dominoing of one mast into the other, down through the decks, cannoning the cargo through the hull below, and sinking the ship very quickly.

2. (transitive) To cause to collapse in the manner of dominoes.

Translations

collapse in the manner of dominoes

cause to collapse in the manner of dominoes

See also

etymologically unrelated terms

• a non domino
• pro domino

Further reading

• “domino”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “domino”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Anagrams

• monoid

Catalan

Verb

domino

1. first-person singular present indicative of dominar

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈdomɪno]
• Rhymes: -ɪno

Noun

domino n

1. dominoes

Declension

Declension of domino (hard neuter)

	singular	plural
nominative	domino	domina
genitive	domina	domin
dative	dominu	dominům
accusative	domino	domina
vocative	domino	domina
locative	dominu	dominech
instrumental	dominem	dominy

Further reading

• “domino”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “domino”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Finnish

Etymology

From French domino.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdomino/, [ˈdo̞mino̞]
• Rhymes: -omino
• Syllabification^(key): do‧mi‧no
• Hyphenation^(key): do‧mi‧no

Noun

domino

1. (dominoes) dominoes
2. (dominoes) a domino (tile)

Declension

Inflection of domino (Kotus type 2/palvelu, no gradation)
nominative		domino	dominot
genitive		dominon	dominojen dominoiden dominoitten
partitive		dominoa	dominoja dominoita
illative		dominoon	dominoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		domino	dominot
accusative	nom.	domino	dominot
	gen.	dominon
genitive		dominon	dominojen dominoiden dominoitten
partitive		dominoa	dominoja dominoita
inessive		dominossa	dominoissa
elative		dominosta	dominoista
illative		dominoon	dominoihin
adessive		dominolla	dominoilla
ablative		dominolta	dominoilta
allative		dominolle	dominoille
essive		dominona	dominoina
translative		dominoksi	dominoiksi
abessive		dominotta	dominoitta
instructive		—	dominoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of domino (Kotus type 2/palvelu, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative dominoni dominoni accusative nom. dominoni dominoni gen. dominoni genitive dominoni dominojeni dominoideni dominoitteni partitive dominoani dominojani dominoitani inessive dominossani dominoissani elative dominostani dominoistani illative dominooni dominoihini adessive dominollani dominoillani ablative dominoltani dominoiltani allative dominolleni dominoilleni essive dominonani dominoinani translative dominokseni dominoikseni abessive dominottani dominoittani instructive — — comitative — dominoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative dominosi dominosi accusative nom. dominosi dominosi gen. dominosi genitive dominosi dominojesi dominoidesi dominoittesi partitive dominoasi dominojasi dominoitasi inessive dominossasi dominoissasi elative dominostasi dominoistasi illative dominoosi dominoihisi adessive dominollasi dominoillasi ablative dominoltasi dominoiltasi allative dominollesi dominoillesi essive dominonasi dominoinasi translative dominoksesi dominoiksesi abessive dominottasi dominoittasi instructive — — comitative — dominoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative dominomme dominomme accusative nom. dominomme dominomme gen. dominomme genitive dominomme dominojemme dominoidemme dominoittemme partitive dominoamme dominojamme dominoitamme inessive dominossamme dominoissamme elative dominostamme dominoistamme illative dominoomme dominoihimme adessive dominollamme dominoillamme ablative dominoltamme dominoiltamme allative dominollemme dominoillemme essive dominonamme dominoinamme translative dominoksemme dominoiksemme abessive dominottamme dominoittamme instructive — — comitative — dominoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative dominonne dominonne accusative nom. dominonne dominonne gen. dominonne genitive dominonne dominojenne dominoidenne dominoittenne partitive dominoanne dominojanne dominoitanne inessive dominossanne dominoissanne elative dominostanne dominoistanne illative dominoonne dominoihinne adessive dominollanne dominoillanne ablative dominoltanne dominoiltanne allative dominollenne dominoillenne essive dominonanne dominoinanne translative dominoksenne dominoiksenne abessive dominottanne dominoittanne instructive — — comitative — dominoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative dominonsa dominonsa accusative nom. dominonsa dominonsa gen. dominonsa genitive dominonsa dominojensa dominoidensa dominoittensa partitive dominoaan dominoansa dominojaan dominoitaan dominojansa dominoitansa inessive dominossaan dominossansa dominoissaan dominoissansa elative dominostaan dominostansa dominoistaan dominoistansa illative dominoonsa dominoihinsa adessive dominollaan dominollansa dominoillaan dominoillansa ablative dominoltaan dominoltansa dominoiltaan dominoiltansa allative dominolleen dominollensa dominoilleen dominoillensa essive dominonaan dominonansa dominoinaan dominoinansa translative dominokseen dominoksensa dominoikseen dominoiksensa abessive dominottaan dominottansa dominoittaan dominoittansa instructive — — comitative — dominoineen dominoinensa

Derived terms

• dominoida

compounds

• dominoefekti
• dominoilmiö
• dominonappula
• dominopeli
• dominoteoria
• dominovaikutus

Further reading

• “domino”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023

Anagrams

• moodin

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin dominō, from Latin dominus (“lord, master”), perhaps from a prayer formula such as "benedicamus domino". The development of the modern meaning is unclear, perhaps from the black color of the early domino tiles.

Pronunciation

• Audio (France (Paris)):

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• Audio (Switzerland (Valais)):

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• Audio (France (Toulouse)):

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• Audio (France (Vosges)):

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• Audio (France (Vosges)):

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• Audio (France (Lyon)):

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Noun

domino m (plural dominos)

1. black hooded cloak worn by priests in winter [1401]
2. hooded garment worn at balls [1665]
   • 1941 "Suzanne ramena sur sa tête le capuchon du domino, fit un pas et déclama soudain [...]" (Georges Duhamel, Suzanne et les jeunes hommes, p. 144)
3. a paper marked with figures used to play board games [1514]
4. dominoes [1771]
5. (in the plural) a domino set
6. (in the singular) a domino tile

Derived terms

• effet domino

Descendants

• → English: domino
• → Italian: domino
• → Norwegian Bokmål: domino
• → Norwegian Nynorsk: domino
• → Polish: domino
• → Portuguese: dominó
• → Romanian: domino

Further reading

• “domino”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Haitian Creole

Etymology

From French domino.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /domino/

Noun

domino

1. dominoes

Indonesian

Indonesian Wikipedia has an article on:

domino

Wikipedia ^id

Etymology

Borrowed from English domino, from French domino, originally the term for a hooded garment, itself from Medieval Latin domino, oblique case of dominus (“lord, master”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /doˈmino/ [doˈmi.no]
• Rhymes: -ino
• Syllabification: do‧mi‧no

Noun

domino (plural domino-domino)

1. dominoes: any of several games played by arranging domino tiles on a flat surface
2. (dominoes) domino: a tile divided into two squares, each having 0 to 6 (or sometimes more) dots or pips (as in dice), used in the game of dominoes

Alternative forms

• dom (apocopic form)

Further reading

• “domino” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.