TRUMP (1) (O. Fr. trompe)  , originally the name of a musical instrument, of which " trumpet " is a diminutive; the term is now chiefly used in the sense of the sound of a trumpet, or a sound resembling it, such as is' made by an elephant . It has been usually accepted that the Romanic forms (cf . Span. and Port. trompa) represent a corruption of Latin tuba, tube . On the other hand a distinct imitative or echoic origin is sometimes assigned . (2) In the sense of a playing card belonging to the suit which beats all other cards of other suits for the period during which its rank lasts, "trump" is a corruption of " triumph." The name was first used of a game of cards, also known as " ruff," which was the parent of the modern game of whist . There are traces in English of an early confusion with a term meaning to deceive or trick, cf . " trumpery," properly deceit, imposture, hence idle talk, gossip, now chiefly used as an adjective, worthless, trivial . This is an adaptation of French lromper, to deceive, which, according to the generally received explanation, meant " to play on the trumpet," se lromper de quelqu'un being equivalent to play with a person, hence to cheat .