Uno

/ˈunoʊ/ noun

Definition

A card game where players match colors or numbers to be first to play all cards, or the Spanish/Italian word for 'one'.

Etymology

From Spanish/Italian 'uno' meaning 'one', derived from Latin 'unus'. The card game was created in 1971 by Merle Robbins in Ohio, with the name reflecting the goal of being down to one card (when players must shout 'Uno!').

Kelly Says

UNO the card game has sold over 150 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling card games ever, yet it started as a barber's attempt to settle family arguments over card games! The word perfectly captures the game's climactic moment - that tension when someone has just one card left and must remember to announce it or face penalty.

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