playing card

American  

noun

1. one of the conventional set of 52 cards in four suits, as diamonds, hearts, spades, and clubs, used in playing various games of chance and skill.

2. one of any set or pack of cards used in playing games.

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playing card British  

noun

1. one of a pack of 52 rectangular stiff cards, used for playing a variety of games, each card having one or more symbols of the same kind (diamonds, hearts, clubs, or spades) on the face, but an identical design on the reverse See also suit

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Etymology

Origin of playing card

First recorded in 1535–45

Example Sentences

The new device replaces the traditional chest piece with a device around the size of a playing card.

From BBC • Aug. 30, 2025

All Sonny needs are concentration, skill and a lucky playing card in his racing suit.

From Salon • Jun. 30, 2025

Inside a meeting hall for the Royal Canadian Legion, a few dozen members were waiting out a snowy afternoon playing card games and snacking from a box of Tim Horton doughnuts.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2024

There’s wide speculation on how playing cards eventually made it to Europe, playing card historian Peter Endebrock told Atlas Obscura in 2020.

From National Geographic • Nov. 3, 2023

About the size of a playing card, the panel had four arrows etched into it, pointing in different directions and painted different colors.

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart