domino
UK[ˈdɒmɪnəʊ]US[ˈdɑːmɪnoʊ]
n
a small, flat, rectangular block used in a game, marked with spots on one side and blank or identically patterned on the other.
n
a loose cloak or robe, often with a hood and mask, worn at masquerades.
n
a situation in which one event causes a series of similar events to follow one after the other.
Etymology
the word 'domino' entered english in the late 17th century from french, where it originally referred to a kind of hooded cloak worn by priests. the french term was borrowed from italian, likely derived from latin 'dominus', meaning "lord" or "master," perhaps because the hood resembled a priest's winter cape or because the black color was associated with mourning. the connection to the game piece emerged in the 18th century, possibly because the black spots on the white tiles resembled the black hood of the domino costume, or because the term was used for a black mask. the modern metaphorical sense of a "domino effect" derives from the visual of game pieces falling in a chain reaction, a concept popularized in the mid-20th century.
Analysis
the word 'domino' is a simplex loanword from french and italian, ultimately from latin. it does not contain separable morphemes in its modern english spelling.
Examples
we spent the evening playing dominoes.
he wore a black domino to the masquerade ball.
the bank's failure triggered a domino effect across the entire financial sector.