- trump (v.)
- "surpass, beat," 1580s, from trump (n.). Related: Trumped; trumping.
- trump (n.1)
- "playing card of a suit ranking above others," 1520s, alteration of triumph, name of a card game.
- trump (v.)
- "fabricate, devise," 1690s, from trump "deceive, cheat" (1510s), from Middle English trumpen (late 14c.), from Old French tromper "deceive," of uncertain origin, perhaps from a verb meaning "to blow a trumpet." Related: Trumped; trumping. Trumped up "false, concocted" first recorded 1728.
- trump (n.2)
- "trumpet," c.1300, from Old French trompe "long, tube-like musical wind instrument" (12c.), cognate with Provençal tromba, Italian tromba, all probably from a Germanic source (cf. Old High German trumpa and Old Norse trumba "trumpet"), of imitative origin.