Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

chemin de fer

American  
[shuh-man duh fair, shuh-man duh fer] / ʃəˈmæn də ˈfɛər, ʃə mɛ̃ də ˈfɛr /

noun

Cards.
  1. a variation of baccarat.


chemin de fer British  
/ ʃəˈmæn də ˈfɛə, ʃəmɛ̃dfɛr /

noun

  1. a gambling game, a variation of baccarat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of chemin de fer

1890–95; < French: literally, railroad; so called from the speed of the game

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

A form of baccarat called "chemin de fer" was played by James Bond in the casino scene of the 1962 film Dr No.

From BBC Oct. 25, 2017

An exclusive excerpt from LIFE's new book, '50 Years of James Bond' The air is electric at this posh London casino, where a beautiful woman has been losing big at chemin de fer.

From Time Oct. 5, 2012

Upper-crust Guatemalans love to gamble, and Arbenz learned to drop up to $1,000 at a friendly session of poker or chemin de fer and laugh it off.

From Time Magazine Archive

Artists had just put the last bright reds and yellows to the 25-ft. mural showing a Puerto Rican feast-day celebration; roulette wheels, chemin de fer and dice tables had been moved into the casino.

From Time Magazine Archive

"I am here," he said, in an undertone, "as agent commercial du chemin de fer Ottoman."

From By Desert Ways to Baghdad by Louisa Jebb

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training