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Definition of castling

castling

/ˈkæs.lɪŋ/
cas · tling
Plural:castlings
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castling Lexical Profile

castling Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

In chess, a special move in which the king is moved two squares toward a rook on the same rank and the rook is simultaneously moved to the square the king crossed, serving to protect the king and activate the rook.

Example

"Early castling on the kingside allowed the grandmaster to safeguard her king before launching a central attack."

2

A small or miniature castle (now archaic or literary).

Example

"The hilltop was crowned with a modest stone castling that once guarded the mountain pass."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for castling

• Nearby Words

casting
castle
castlereagh
castling
castmate
castoff
castor

Word Origin & Etymology

In its chess sense, the word derives from the verb 'castle', formed by adding the verbal noun suffix '-ing' in the 17th century. In its archaic architectural sense, it combines 'castle' with the diminutive suffix '-ling'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Castling. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/castling
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