whist
Meaning
a card game for two pairs of players, a forerunner of bridge, in which points are scored according to the number of tricks won over six.
an archaic exclamation used to command silence.
Usage
they spent the evening playing a quiet game of whist.
"whist!" he whispered, "listen carefully."
the rules of whist are simpler than those of contract bridge.
Etymology
The word 'whist' originates as an interjection, a variant of 'hist' or 'hush', used to demand silence. This exclamation is imitative of the sound used to command quiet. In the 17th century, the name was transferred to a card game, likely because the game required a quiet and attentive demeanor from its players. The transition from a command for silence to the name of a game is a clear example of semantic shift based on the situational context associated with the word.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form. It is an onomatopoeic interjection that was later applied to a card game, likely due to the quiet, focused atmosphere required for play.