A domino is a small rectangular block, typically twice as long as it is wide, with a line dividing its face into two square ends. Each end may be marked with a number of spots (also known as pips or dots) or blank. The number of spots on a domino specifies its value, which determines the rank and overall weight or “heaviness” of the piece. A domino set, also known as a deck or pack, is a collection of tiles that may be used in various games.

The most common domino game involves a single player against another, where the objective is to get rid of all of your dominoes by placing them down in accordance with the rules of the specific game being played. The first player to do so wins the hand. Throughout the course of play, each player attempts to block their opponent so that they cannot make a move, while at the same time trying to create opportunities for themselves to score.

In addition to the blocking and scoring games, there are a number of other, more abstract variants that use dominoes to create elaborate patterns or structures. Dominoes can be arranged into straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, stacked walls, or even 3D structures such as towers and pyramids.

Dominoes can also be used for artistic purposes, with artists creating pieces that display a variety of themes and techniques. Some artists use dominoes to illustrate mathematical concepts such as fractions and algebra, while others use them to create landscapes or architectural designs. Dominoes can also be used to model physical systems such as the physics of falling objects or chemical reactions.

A more recent use of the word domino is in a business context, with the term describing the structure of an organization’s leadership structure or the way in which tasks are divided among employees. For example, a Domino’s Pizza employee could be assigned to oversee the delivery service or one of the restaurant’s busiest locations.

While the word domino is derived from the Latin verb domini, which means to lead, it originally denoted an earlier sense of the word, a hooded robe worn together with a mask at a masquerade. It is believed that this sense was borrowed from French, where it had been used to describe a black domino contrasting with a white surplice.

The traditional European domino set consists of 28 tiles, which are also known as pieces, bones, rocks, stones, men, cards or dominoes, each bearing a different combination of spot counts and featuring all of the combinations between zero and six. A domino is considered to be a full set if all of its faces have a value. The remainder of the set is known as a boneyard or stock. When playing a basic domino game, each player draws seven dominoes from the boneyard and begins with the highest-value piece in their hand. The player who draws the heaviest domino takes the lead and plays first.