trophy

[ troh-fee ]
See synonyms for: trophytrophies on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural tro·phies.
  1. anything taken in war, hunting, competition, etc., especially when preserved as a memento; spoil, prize, or award.

  2. anything serving as a token or evidence of victory, valor, skill, etc.: a sports trophy.

  1. a symbol of success that is used to impress others: He bought the lavish home as a trophy.

  2. a carving, painting, or other representation of objects associated with or symbolic of victory or achievement.

  3. any memento or memorial.

  4. a memorial erected by certain ancient peoples, especially the Greeks and Romans, in commemoration of a victory in war and consisting of arms or other spoils taken from the enemy and hung upon a tree, pillar, or the like.

adjective
  1. noting or relating to a symbol of success that is used to impress others: They just want a near-perfect trophy child to brag about.

Origin of trophy

1
1505–15; earlier trophe<French trophée<Latin trop(h)aeum<Greek trópaion, noun use of neuter of trópaios,Attic variant of tropaîos of turning or putting to flight, equivalent to trop() a turning (akin to trépein to turn) + -aios adj. suffix. See trope

Other words from trophy

  • tro·phy·less, adjective

Words Nearby trophy

Other definitions for -trophy (2 of 2)

-trophy

  1. a combining form used in the formation of nouns with the general senses “nourishment, feeding” (mycotrophy), “growth” (hypertrophy); also forming abstract nouns corresponding to adjectives ending in -trophic.

Origin of -trophy

2
<Greek -trophia nutrition, equivalent to troph() food + -ia-y3

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use trophy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for trophy (1 of 2)

trophy

/ (ˈtrəʊfɪ) /


nounplural -phies
  1. an object such as a silver or gold cup that is symbolic of victory in a contest, esp a sporting contest; prize

  2. a memento of success, esp one taken in war or hunting

  1. (in ancient Greece and Rome)

    • a memorial to a victory, usually consisting of captured arms raised on the battlefield or in a public place

    • a representation of such a memorial

  2. an ornamental carving that represents a group of weapons, etc

  3. (modifier) informal highly desirable and regarded as a symbol of wealth or success: a trophy wife

Origin of trophy

1
C16: from French trophée, from Latin tropaeum, from Greek tropaion, from tropē a turning, defeat of the enemy; related to Greek trepein to turn

British Dictionary definitions for -trophy (2 of 2)

-trophy

n combining form
  1. indicating a certain type of nourishment or growth: dystrophy

Origin of -trophy

2
from Greek -trophia, from trophē nourishment

Derived forms of -trophy

  • -trophic, adj combining form

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