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to checkerboard

to checkerboard

4.7
To mark or cover a surface with alternating colored squares
  • verb
  • /ˈtʃɛkərˌbɔrd/
  • US
translation icon : cuadricular
  • To enhance the garden's aesthetics, the landscaper planned to checkerboard the flowerbeds with contrasting blooms.

Examples

  • Today, people at Leech Lake control a tiny fraction of the original land base, and the reservation is "checkerboarded," which is to say that state land, federal land, tribal land, allotment land, and private property exist in rather close proximity.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The artist decided to checkerboard the canvas with different colors to create a vibrant effect.

  • Before the event, they will checkerboard the outdoor seating area, alternating colorful tablecloths.

Synonyms

to checker
vsto checkerboard
  • US
20 5.8

To mark a surface with a pattern of squares in different colors

focuses specifically on arranging alternating squares rather than other square-like patterns

Surface Forms

checkerboard infinitive
checkerboarded past participle
checkerboarding present participle
checkerboards third person singular

Etymology

To checkerboard something means to mark or arrange it in an alternating square pattern. The verb comes from the noun checkerboard, the game board, so to checkerboard a floor or field is to make it look like that board.