The Chess Pawn Was a Foot Soldier
A pawn is the least powerful chess piece. A separate pawn means to leave goods as security.
A pawn is the weakest chess piece, and figuratively a person used by others. The name is literal: Medieval Latin *pedo* meant a foot soldier, from *pes*, a foot, so the eight pawns are the infantry of the board. That also explains promotion — an infantryman who crosses the whole field earns a rank. The other *pawn*, to leave goods as security for a loan, is an unrelated word from Old French *pan*, a pledge.
- A chess piece. *The king's pawn.*
- A person used by others. *A pawn in their game.*
- To pledge for a loan. *Pawning a watch.*
- Pawnbroker. *A pawnbroker.*
- Latin — *pes*, a foot. *The chess root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | pawn | A pawn. |
| Plural | pawns | Pawns. |
| Verb | pawn | Pawning. |
| Agent | pawnbroker | A pawnbroker. |
| Latin | pedo | A foot soldier. |
- He advanced a pawn.Chess.
- She pawned her ring.Loan.
- A pawn in a larger game.Figurative.
What pawns can do
- Move forward one square, or two on their first move
- Capture diagonally, never straight ahead
- En passant — capture a pawn that just passed them
- Promotion — reach the far rank and become any piece
- A promoted pawn almost always becomes a queen
The chess piece is Anglo-Norman *poun*, from Medieval Latin *pedo*, a foot soldier. The pledge is Old French *pan*, a pledge.
Why are chess pawns called that?
Because the word means foot soldier. The pawns are the infantry of the board, and promotion rewards one that crosses the field.
Is pawning goods the same word?
No. That comes from Old French pan, a pledge, and has no connection to the chess piece.