checker

¹ American  

[chek-er] / ˈtʃɛk ər /

British, chequer

noun

1. a small, usually red or black disk of plastic or wood, used in playing checkers.

2. checkers,

   1. British, draughts.  (used with a singular verb) a game played by two persons, each with 12 playing pieces, on a checkerboard.

   2. (in a regenerative furnace) loosely stacked brickwork through which furnace gases and incoming air are passed in turn, so that the heat of the exhaust is absorbed and later transferred to the incoming air.

3. a checkered pattern.

4. one of the squares of a checkered pattern.

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verb (used with object)

1. to mark like a checkerboard.

2. to diversify in color; variegate.

3. to diversify in character; subject to alternations.

   Sorrow and joy have checkered his life.

checker ² American  

[chek-er] / ˈtʃɛk ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that checks.

2. a cashier, as in a supermarket or cafeteria.

3. a person who checks coats, baggage, etc.

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checker ¹ British  

/ ˈtʃɛkə /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of chequer

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noun

1. textiles a variant spelling of chequer

2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): draughtsman.  any one of the 12 flat thick discs used by each player in the game of checkers

checker ² British  

/ ˈtʃɛkə /

noun

1. a cashier, esp in a supermarket

2. an attendant in a cloakroom, left-luggage office, etc

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Etymology

Origin of checker¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English check(i)er, chequer, chekker “chessboard, checkerboard,” from Old French eschequier, eschaquier (by shortening), equivalent to eschec + -er; see origin at check ¹, -er ²

Origin of checker²

First recorded in 1525–35; check ¹ + -er ¹

Example Sentences

That allows me to fact-check the fact checker by searching the source article to make sure that quote is really there, and that it’s been interpreted correctly.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

Coeliac UK has a symptom checker on its website.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

CCNI's weekly oil price checker allows you to see average prices for 300, 500 and 900 litres of oil, which gives consumers an idea of how much they should be spending before pricing local suppliers.

From BBC • May 5, 2025

The bar’s early clientele was mostly blue-collar workers who came for the chess and checker boards, pool tables and to throw darts.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2024

I picked up a checker and rolled it in my fingers.

From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn

Related Words

• auditor
• controller
• detective
• investigator
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