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.

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.