name
Tetris
TEHT-rihs
name
1
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
1
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 notesIn 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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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.