- trump (n.1)
- "playing card of a suit ranking above others," 1529, alteration of triumph, name of a card game. The verb meaning "surpass, beat" is attested from 1586.
- trump (v.)
- "fabricate, devise," 1695, from trump "deceive, cheat" (1513), from M.E. trumpen (late 14c.), from O.Fr. tromper "deceive," of uncertain origin, perhaps from a verb meaning "to blow a trumpet." Trumped up "false, concocted" first recorded 1728.
- trump (n.2)
- "trumpet," c.1300, from O.Fr. trompe "long, tube-like musical wind instrument" (12c.), cognate with Prov. tromba, It. tromba, all probably from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. trumpa and O.N. trumba "trumpet"), of imitative origin.