ace
UK: eɪs | US: eɪs
n. 1. A playing card with a single pip; the highest-ranking card in many games.
n. 2. A person who excels in a particular field (e.g., "a tennis ace").
adj. 1. Outstanding or expert (e.g., "an ace pilot").
vt. 1. To score an ace in sports (e.g., tennis).
vt. 2. To perform exceptionally well in a task.
The word "ace" traces back to the Latin "as," meaning a unit or one, originally referring to a small Roman coin. It entered Old French as "as," denoting the lowest roll in dice (one pip), then evolved in Middle English to signify the highest card in games. The semantic shift from "lowest" to "highest" reflects its symbolic value reversal in gaming contexts. The modern figurative sense ("expert") emerged in early 20th-century slang, likening mastery to holding the winning card.
He drew an ace from the deck and won the round.
She’s an ace at solving complex math problems.
The fighter pilot is considered an ace after five confirmed victories.
He aced the exam with a perfect score.
The tennis player aced her opponent with a powerful serve.