monte
UK[ˈmɒnteɪ]US[ˈmɑːnteɪ]
n
A card game in which players bet on the order in which cards will appear from two layout piles.
n
A gambling game played with three cards, especially three-card monte.
Etymology
The English word 'monte' is a direct borrowing from Spanish, entering the language in the 19th century through exposure to gambling games in the American West and Latin America. In Spanish, 'monte' derives from the Latin 'montem', the accusative singular of 'mons', meaning "mountain." The semantic shift from "mountain" to a card game is metaphorical, referring to the heap or pile of cards used in play. This journey from a Latin term for a physical landform to a specific English gambling term illustrates how loanwords can acquire narrow, specialized meanings distinct from their original, broader senses.
Analysis
The word is a direct loanword from Spanish, where 'monte' means "mountain" or "heap of cards." It functions as a simplex noun in English, retaining its borrowed form and specific gambling-related meaning.
Examples
He lost a considerable sum playing monte in the saloon.
Three-card monte is often associated with street scams.
The classic Spanish card game monte is less common in modern casinos.