What is "nine men's morris"

nine \nine\ (n[imac]n), a. [OE. nine, nihen, AS. nigon, nigan; akin to D. & LG. negen, OS. & OFries. nigun, OHG. niun, G. neun, Icel. n[=i]u, sw. nio, Dan. ni, Goth. niun, Ir. & Gael. naoi, W. naw, L. novem, Gr. 'enne`a, Skr. navan; of unknown origin. [root]307. Cf. Novembeer.] Eight and one more; one less than ten; as, nine miles.

Nine men's morris. See Morris.

Nine points circle (Geom.), a circle so related to any given triangle as to pass through the three points in which the perpendiculars from the angles of the triangle upon the opposite sides (or the sides produced) meet the sides. It also passes through the three middle points of the sides of the triangle and through the three middle points of those parts of the perpendiculars that are between their common point of meeting and the angles of the triangle. The circle is hence called the nine points circle or six points circle.

n. An ancient strategic board game for two players, each having nine pieces, and in which forming a row of three of one's own pieces earns the removal of one of the other player's pieces.

Nine Men's Morris is a strategy board game for two players dating at least to the Roman Empire. The game is also known as Nine Man Morris, Mill, Mills, The Mill Game, Merels, Merrills, Merelles, Marelles, Morelles and Ninepenny Marl in English. The game has also been called Cowboy Checkers and is sometimes printed on the back of checkerboards. Nine Men's Morris is a solved game in which either player can force the game into a draw.

Three main variants of Nine Men's Morris are Three-, Six- and Twelve-Men's Morris.