name

Tetris

TEHT-rihs

Tetris (name) means a classic puzzle video game where falling blocks made of four squares must be arranged to clear full lines. Example: “He spent the whole train ride playing Tetris on his phone.”

name

A classic puzzle video game where falling blocks made of four squares must be arranged to clear full lines.

"He spent the whole train ride playing Tetris on his phone."

verb

To fit oddly shaped items neatly into a tight space, by analogy with the game.

"We had to tetris the boxes into the back of the van."

How to use Tetris

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe famous falling-blocks puzzle game, or informally, the act of cleverly packing odd shapes into a limited space.

Word forms

tetrised past tense, Tetrises plural, tetrises singular

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He spent the whole train ride playing _____ on his phone.

Etymology

Coined by its Russian creator Alexey Pajitnov by blending the Greek prefix "tetra-" (referring to the four-square pieces) with "tennis", his favourite sport.

Origin: Greek

Frequently asked questions

What does “Tetris” mean?

The word “Tetris” means a classic puzzle video game where falling blocks made of four squares must be arranged to clear full lines. In plain terms, the famous falling-blocks puzzle game, or informally, the act of cleverly packing odd shapes into a limited space.

How do you pronounce “Tetris”?

“Tetris” is pronounced TEHT-rihs (/ˈtɛtɹɪs/ in IPA).

How do you use “Tetris” in a sentence?

Here is “Tetris” used in a sentence: “He spent the whole train ride playing Tetris on his phone.”

What part of speech is “Tetris”?

Depending on how it is used, “Tetris” can be a name and a verb.

Where does the word “Tetris” come from?

The word “Tetris” comes from Greek. Coined by its Russian creator Alexey Pajitnov by blending the Greek prefix "tetra-" (referring to the four-square pieces) with "tennis", his favourite sport.

How many meanings does “Tetris” have?

“Tetris” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a classic puzzle video game where falling blocks made of four squares must be arranged to clear full lines.