martingale

noun

mar·​tin·​gale ˈmär-tᵊn-ˌgāl How to pronounce martingale (audio)
-tiŋ-
1
: a device for steadying a horse's head or checking its upward movement that typically consists of a strap fastened to the girth, passing between the forelegs, and bifurcating to end in two rings through which the reins pass
2
a
: a lower stay of rope or chain for the jibboom used to sustain the strain of the forestays and fastened to or rove through the dolphin striker
b
: dolphin striker
3
: any of several systems of betting in which a player increases the stake usually by doubling each time a bet is lost

Illustration of martingale

Illustration of martingale
  • martingale 1

Examples of martingale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Unlike the martingale betting strategy, the Kelly criterion works in practice and proves its worth as a mainstay of quantitative finance. — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2023 Things to Consider When Buying a Dog Training Collar Type As Nave-Powers explains, there are a few types of dog training collars, including shock collars, prongs, choke chains, slip collars, martingales, electronic collars, and pagers, like the Petrainer Dog Training Collar. — Theresa Holland, Peoplemag, 17 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle French

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of martingale was in 1584

Rhymes for martingale

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Cite this Entry

“Martingale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martingale. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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