DictionaryagatePlaying marble
noun

agate

A stone or glass marble used in games.

He rolls an agate toward the other marbles in the circle.

Etymology

Greek achatēs named the mineral agate. The gaming sense comes from marbles made of that stone, with the name also applied to glass marbles resembling them.

More examples

  • The children traded two glass marbles for one agate.
  • Her favorite agate had a brown swirl through its center.
  • A cloth bag kept the agates from scattering.

Forms

agate · agates

Similar words

marble
Is the general name for the small ball used in play.
shooter
Specifically names a marble used to strike the others.