overcard

1 8.1

A card with a higher value than another card in a card game

noun

Jargon

: carta superior

She played an overcard to win the trick in bridge.

Examples

In poker, holding an overcard can give you an advantage over your opponents.
If you have an overcard, you might consider betting more aggressively.
An overcard can win against a lower-ranked card.
He played an overcard to secure his victory.
In poker, an ace can be an overcard if the highest card on the table is a king.
She was worried that her opponent might have an overcard after he raised the bet.
When playing Texas Hold'em, a player must consider whether an overcard affects their hand strength.

How High

overcard

Jargon

1 8.1

middler

1 6.7

Surface Forms

overcard singular

overcards plural

Morphology

overcard = card (transparent) = over + card

The meaning is a straightforward combination of 'over' (higher than) + 'card' (a playing card), so learners who know those words can infer the sense.

Etymology

Overcard comes from the parts over- meaning 'above' and card meaning 'playing card', so picture a card sitting 'above' another because it is higher in value. That's why an overcard is a card that is higher than another card in play.