Rummy Glossary — Complete Card Game Terminology Guide

Rummy has a rich vocabulary that spans the entire game family. Whether you’re playing Basic Rummy, Gin Rummy, Canasta, or Tonk, knowing the terminology helps you understand rules, follow strategy guides, and communicate with other players.

A

Ace

The lowest-ranked card in standard Rummy, worth 1 point. In some variants, Aces can be high (worth 15 points in 500 Rummy) or used at either end of a run.

B

Big Gin

A Gin Rummy term. Going gin with all 11 cards in your hand forming melds (instead of discarding), earning an extra bonus. Not recognized in all rule sets.

Book

Another name for a set — three or four cards of the same rank. Common in Canasta and Hand and Foot.

C

Canasta

A meld of seven cards in Canasta and Hand and Foot. A natural canasta contains no wild cards; a dirty canasta does. Natural canastas are worth 500 points; dirty canastas 300.

Contract

In Contract Rummy and Kalooki, the specific meld requirement for each round (e.g., “two sets of three” or “one set and one run of four”). Players must meet the contract before laying down melds.

D

Dead Card

A card that can no longer complete any useful meld because the cards it needs are already in the discard pile or melded by other players.

Deadwood

Cards in your hand that are not part of any meld. In penalty-based scoring, your deadwood total counts against you when someone goes out. In Gin Rummy, deadwood must total 10 or less to knock.

Declare

In Indian Rummy, announcing that your hand is complete and meets the meld requirements. Similar to “going out” in other variants.

Dirty Canasta

A Canasta term for a seven-card meld that includes one or more wild cards. Worth 300 points (vs. 500 for a natural canasta).

Discard

The act of placing one card face-up on the discard pile at the end of your turn. Also refers to the card itself.

Discard Pile

The face-up pile of cards players have discarded. In most Rummy variants, you may draw the top card of the discard pile instead of drawing from the stock.

Draw

Taking one card at the beginning of your turn — either from the stock pile or the discard pile.

Drop

In Tonk and some other variants, declaring your hand immediately after the deal if your deadwood is very low. In some Indian Rummy games, dropping means withdrawing from the round for a fixed penalty.

F

Freeze (Frozen Pile)

A Canasta term. When a wild card or certain other cards are discarded, the discard pile becomes frozen — opponents cannot pick it up unless they hold a natural pair matching the top card.

Foot

In Hand and Foot, the second set of cards each player receives. You play through your hand first, then pick up your foot.

G

Gin

In Gin Rummy, going out with zero deadwood — every card in your hand is part of a meld. Awards a 25-point bonus.

Going Out

Playing or discarding all remaining cards in your hand to end the round. The player who goes out wins the round (or earns a significant bonus).

Group

Another name for a set — three or four cards of the same rank.

H

Hand

The cards a player holds. Also used in Hand and Foot to distinguish the first set of dealt cards (the “hand”) from the second (“foot”).

K

Knock

In Gin Rummy, ending the round when your deadwood totals 10 points or fewer. The knocker reveals their hand and compares deadwood with the opponent.

L

Lay Down

Placing a complete meld from your hand face-up on the table. Also called melding.

Lay Off

Adding a card from your hand to an existing meld on the table. For example, adding the 3♠ to an existing meld of 4♠ 5♠ 6♠. In Gin Rummy, laying off is generally not allowed (the non-knocker can lay off on the knocker’s melds in some rule sets).

M

Match

Loosely used to mean any combination of cards that form a valid meld.

Meld

A valid combination of three or more cards. There are two types:

• Set (Group/Book): Three or four cards of the same rank.
• Run (Sequence): Three or more consecutive cards of the same suit.

N

Natural Canasta

A Canasta term for a seven-card meld containing no wild cards. Worth 500 points.

Natural Pair

Two cards of the same rank (no wild cards). In Canasta, required to pick up a frozen discard pile.

P

Pick Up the Pile

In Canasta and its variants, taking the entire discard pile into your hand. This is allowed when you can immediately meld the top card with at least two matching natural cards from your hand (subject to freeze rules).

Pure Sequence

Indian Rummy term for a run formed without any jokers or wild cards. At least one pure sequence is required to declare.

R

Round

One complete deal and play cycle. A full game of Rummy typically consists of multiple rounds.

Run

A meld of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., 9♥ 10♥ J♥). Also called a sequence.

S

Sequence

Another name for a run — three or more consecutive cards of the same suit.

Set

A meld of three or four cards of the same rank (e.g., Q♣ Q♦ Q♥). Also called a group or book.

Spread

In Tonk, the act of laying down a meld. “Spreading” is the Tonk equivalent of melding.

Stock Pile

The face-down pile of cards players draw from at the start of each turn. Also called the draw pile or talon.

T

Tonk

In Tonk, going out with exactly zero cards remaining earns a tonk — double the normal stakes or points. Also the name of the game itself.

U

Undercut

A Gin Rummy term. When the non-knocker’s deadwood is equal to or less than the knocker’s deadwood, the non-knocker earns the point difference plus a 25-point undercut bonus.

W

Wild Card

A card that can substitute for any other card in a meld. In standard Rummy, there are no wild cards. In Canasta and Hand and Foot, Jokers and 2s are wild. In Indian Rummy, a randomly selected card serves as an additional joker.

Quick Reference Table

Further Reading

• Rummy Rules for Beginners — See these terms in context
• Rummy Scoring — How deadwood and melds affect your score
• Rummy Variants — Variant-specific terminology explained
• Sets vs. Runs — Deep dive into the two meld types