Meanings
- pluralplural of marteau
- historicaluncountableA game played at court in the 15th and 16th centuries, involving marble-sized variously colored ivory balls and a board with holes.
The queen is playing now with her ladies at a courtly game called the marteaux, while others are amusing themselves as best befits them, according to the fashion of the times.
2022, Mary Roberts, Ruins and Old Trees3 more examples
After he had supped the King had him brought immediately to the Queen's own chamber, where she and her ladies were playing at the marteaux; and some of her ladies were playing at closheys of ivory, and dancing , and some at divers other games: the which sight was full pleasant to them.
1845, John Allen Giles, The chronicles of the white rose of York, page 147In another part of the room three or four middle-aged dames, who acted as governesses to the young princesses, were seated at a table playing at marteaux — a game in which little ivory balls were placed in the holes of a board — with the two tutors of the young princes .
1875, William Harrison Ainsworth, The Goldsmith's Wife, page 13Louis, the Governor of Holland, was led to Queen Elizabeth's rooms where he found her and her ladies-in-waiting playing marteaux ― a game like bowls ― and throwing balls at ivory pins.
1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 40
Cite this entry
marteaux. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/marteaux
“marteaux.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/marteaux. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “marteaux,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/marteaux.
Source: marteaux on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.