Standard Lemma guide

misère

adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /mɪˈzɛə(ɹ)/
  • /miːˈzɛə(ɹ)/
  • rhymes with -ɛə(ɹ)

1

adj

Meaning 1

Played according to the reverse of the usual winning convention.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • A strategy in misère backgammon is to put six blots in a row.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of a game, in which a player who is unable to move wins.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A bid to lose every trick, or the majority of tricks, with no trumps.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Qualifier: especially whist

Topics: card-games, games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from French misère. Doublet of misery and mizeria.