Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

domino

1 American  
[dom-uh-noh] / ˈdɒm əˌnoʊ /

noun

plural

dominoes

  1. a flat, thumbsized, rectangular block, the face of which is divided into two parts, each either blank or bearing from one to six pips or dots: 28 such pieces form a complete set.

  2. (used with a singular verb) dominoes, any of various games played with such pieces, usually by matching the ends of pieces and laying the dominoes down in lines and angular patterns.

domino 2 American  
[dom-uh-noh] / ˈdɒm əˌnoʊ /

noun

plural

dominoes, dominos

  1. a large, hooded cloak with a mask covering the eyes, worn at masquerades.

  2. the mask.

  3. a person wearing such dress.

Domino 3 American  
[dom-uh-noh] / ˈdɒm əˌnoʊ /

noun

  1. Antoine Fats, 1928–2017, U.S. rhythm-and-blues pianist, singer, and composer.

domino 1 British  
/ ˈdɒmɪˌnəʊ /

noun

  1. a small rectangular block used in dominoes, divided on one side into two equal areas, each of which is either blank or marked with from one to six dots

  2. (modifier) exhibiting the domino effect

    a domino pattern of takeovers
"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
domino 2 British  
/ ˈdɒmɪˌnəʊ /

noun

  1. a large hooded cloak worn with an eye mask at a masquerade

  2. the eye mask worn with such a cloak

"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
Domino 3 British  
/ ˈdɒmɪnəʊ /

noun

  1. Fats. real name Antoine Domino born 1928, US rhythm-and-blues and rock-and-roll pianist, singer, and songwriter. His singles include "Ain't that a Shame" (1955) and "Blueberry Hill" (1956)

"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 domino1

First recorded in 1710–20; perhaps special use of domino 2

Origin of domino2

First recorded in 1710–20; from Italian: “hood and mask costume,” from Medieval Latin or Middle French: “black hood worn by priests in winter”; obscurely akin to Latin dominus “lord, master”

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.

That letter had caused a domino effect of events that pitted Regan against me in a simulation test that just so happened to also be testing for compatibility for the partner program.

From Literature

The selloff may have been exacerbated by a domino effect of investors trying to front-run selling their shares, in Gastwirth’s opinion.

From MarketWatch

Objects like dominos and leaves, which figure into the history of Caribbean imperialism, are fashioned from steel and wood.

From Los Angeles Times

There is also a domino effect to estrangements.

From The Wall Street Journal

"They're building a pipeline for the future, and they do not want this to be the first domino," she said, adding that they do not have a "huge incentive" to "perfectly" comply with the ban.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.