Definition

Noun 1. A playing card bearing a picture of a face (a king, queen, or jack): One of the twelve cards in a standard 52-card deck that depicts a human figure, specifically a Jack, Queen, or King. These cards are also commonly called "face cards" or "court cards."

Usage

The term "picture card" is used specifically to refer to the Jack, Queen, and King in a deck of playing cards. It distinguishes these cards from number cards (2-10) and aces. * In many card games, picture cards have a specific point value, often higher than number cards. * The term is standard in describing the composition of a deck.

Examples

• Noun:
  • In this game, all picture cards are worth 10 points.
  • She was delighted to draw three picture cards in a row.
  • A standard deck contains twelve picture cards: four Jacks, four Queens, and four Kings.

Advanced Usage

• "To hold a picture card": To have a strategic advantage, derived from holding a high-value card in a game.
  • In the negotiations, the company felt it held all the picture cards.

Variants and Related Words

• Face card (n): A direct synonym for "picture card."
• Court card (n): Another synonym, less common in everyday American English but standard in British English and historical contexts, referring to the "court" or royal figures depicted.
• Jack (n): A picture card ranking below the Queen.
• Queen (n): A picture card ranking below the King.
• King (n): The highest-ranking picture card.

Synonyms

• Face card
• Court card

Antonyms

• Spot card (a card with pips or numbers, i.e., 2-10)
• Number card
• Pip card

Related Phrases

• "The picture cards": Used collectively to refer to all Jacks, Queens, and Kings.
  • Please separate the picture cards from the rest of the deck.

Noun

1. one of the twelve cards in a deck bearing a picture of a face