baccarat
UK[ˈbækərɑː]US[ˌbɑːkəˈrɑː]
n
a card game in which players bet on which of two hands, the "player's" or the "banker's", will have a point value closest to nine.
Etymology
the word 'baccarat' entered english in the 19th century from french, where it named a specific card game. the french term is believed to derive from the italian 'baccara', but the ultimate origin is obscure. one prominent theory suggests it comes from the old provençal word 'bacarrat', meaning "to reduce to zero," a fitting allusion to the value of face cards in the game. this etymological journey, from a possible phrase describing the game's core mechanic to its modern identity as a casino staple, encapsulates the word's function as a direct cultural import.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from french. it is not productively formed from morphemes within the english spelling system and is therefore treated as a simplex unit.
Examples
he tried his luck at the baccarat table in the casino.
the high-stakes baccarat game attracted wealthy international players.
she learned the simple rules of baccarat in just a few minutes.