roshambo
roshambo Lexical Profile
roshambo Game Scores & Validity
• noun
American A two-person hand game in which players simultaneously form one of three shapes (representing rock, paper, or scissors) to determine a winner; also used as the three-beat chant before revealing the shapes.
"The two siblings settled their dispute over who would get the front seat with a quick game of roshambo."
• verb
American To play the game of rock-paper-scissors, typically in order to make a quick decision or settle a minor dispute.
"Let's roshambo to see who has to take out the trash tonight."
• Rhymes for roshambo
Word Origin & Etymology
Originating in early 20th-century California, the term likely developed as a phonetic alteration of the Japanese rhythmic counting phrase 'jan-ken-pon' used in the game, though popular folk etymology often connects it to the French Revolutionary War general Count de Rochambeau.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.