piquet

Piquet is mainly the name of an old card game for two players. It was especially popular in France and later in England, and it is usually played with a reduced deck rather than a full pack of cards. In older writing, the word can also mean a small group of soldiers posted on guard duty or a watch post. Today, though, most people who use the word mean the card game.

Piquet is best known as the name of a traditional card game for two players. The game came from France and became widely played in Europe, especially in earlier centuries. It is usually played with a 32-card deck, so it belongs to the family of games that use only part of the standard pack. In books or historical writing, the word often suggests an old-fashioned, refined game played by skilled players who pay close attention to counting and strategy.

There is also an older military meaning. In that sense, a piquet is a small body of soldiers placed apart from the main force to watch, guard, or give warning of danger. This use is now uncommon in everyday English, and many modern readers are more likely to see "picket" in similar contexts, but "piquet" does appear in older texts and historical discussion.

It is important not to confuse "piquet" with "pique." "Pique" usually refers to a feeling of hurt pride or to arousing interest, while "piquet" is chiefly the card game and, in older usage, a guard unit or watch post. So if you read that two people spent the evening playing piquet, the meaning is the game, not a feeling of annoyance. The exact sense depends on context, but the card-game meaning is by far the most common and the one most learners should remember first.