pachisi

(pə c̸hē′zē)

noun

in India, a game for four players in which the moves of the pieces around a board are determined by the throwing of cowrie shells

Origin: Hindi pacīsī < pacis, twenty-five (the highest number thrown) < pãc, five < Sans páñca, five + -īs < bīs, twenty

See pachisi in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

An ancient game of India similar to backgammon that uses cowrie shells instead of dice.

Origin:

Origin: Hindi pacīsī

Origin: , from pacīs, twenty-five

Origin: : Sanskrit pañca, five; see penk^we in Indo-European roots

Origin: + Sanskrit viṁśatiḥ, twenty; see wīkm̥tī- in Indo-European roots

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