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• champion
  champion

  noun

  a person who has defeated all opponents in a competition or series of competitions, so as to hold first place.
• Champion
  Champion

  noun

  Gower 1921–80, U.S. choreographer.

champion

¹ American  

[cham-pee-uhn] / ˈtʃæm pi ən /

noun

• champions
  plural

1. a person who has defeated all opponents in a competition or series of competitions, so as to hold first place.

   the heavyweight boxing champion.

   Synonyms:

   victor, winner

   Antonyms:

   loser

2. anything that takes first place in competition.

   the champion of a cattle show.

3. an animal that has won a certain number of points in officially recognized shows.

   This dog is a champion.

4. a person who fights for or defends any person or cause.

   a champion of the oppressed.

   Synonyms:

   protector, defender

5. a fighter or warrior.

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verb (used with object)

• champions,
  present (3rd person singular)
• championed,
  past participle,  past
• championing
  present participle

1. to act as champion of; defend; support.

   to champion a cause.

   Synonyms:

   advocate, maintain

2. Obsolete. to defy.

adjective

1. first among all contestants or competitors.

2. Informal. first-rate.

Champion ² American  

[cham-pee-uhn] / ˈtʃæm pi ən /

noun

1. Gower 1921–80, U.S. choreographer.

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champion British  

/ ˈtʃæmpɪən /

noun

1. 1. a person who has defeated all others in a competition

      a chess champion

   2. ( as modifier )

      a champion team

2. 1. a plant or animal that wins first place in a show, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a champion marrow

3. a person who defends a person or cause

   champion of the underprivileged

4. (formerly) a warrior or knight who did battle for another, esp a king or queen, to defend their rights or honour

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adjective

1. dialect first rate; excellent

adverb

1. dialect very well; excellently

verb

1. to support; defend

   we champion the cause of liberty

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonchampion
  noun
• championless
  adjective
• championlike
  adjective
• prechampioned
  adjective
• unchampioned
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• champions
  plural

Participles

• championing
  present
• championed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• champion
  simple
• champions
  simple
• have championed
  perfect
• has championed
  perfect
• am championing
  progressive
• are championing
  progressive
• is championing
  progressive
• have been championing
  perfect progressive
• has been championing
  perfect progressive

Past

• championed
  simple
• had championed
  perfect
• was championing
  progressive
• were championing
  progressive
• had been championing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will champion
  simple
• will have championed
  perfect
• will be championing
  progressive
• will have been championing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of champion

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin campiōn-, stem of campiō “combatant in an arena duel,” from West Germanic kampiōn- (unrecorded); equivalent to Latin camp(us) “field, battlefield” + -iō, noun suffix; compare Old English cempa “warrior”

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Explanation

A champion is a winner, or someone who's really good at something. If you are a champion chess player, you are a superstar! When crowds sing Queen's "We Are the Champions" at football games, they are celebrating the fact that their team won. Champion comes from the Latin word campionem for "gladiator, fighter." Rarr! No need to grab your sword, but a champion is also a person who fights for a cause. If you are the champion of fundraising, you keep pushing to raise money. As a verb, to champion means to protect or fight for something. You champion your little brother by defending him against meanies — no matter what, you are always on his side.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

champion Champion champions championed championing

And the school has already produced its first Division I national champion in track and field.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Allstar has long been a champion of UK rap and currently presents the Rap Show on BBC Radio 1, which he describes as "the show I always wanted as a kid".

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

Just last week, two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau, LIV’s most popular player, appeared on a podcast saying he was hopeful it could live forever.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Raman is also expected to champion policies sought by the region’s transportation advocates.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

Bronstein had tied Botvinnik in their 1951 match for the World Championship, but Botvinnik retained the title as sitting champion.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Now swarms scour vintage stores hunting for Coach purses, Champion sweatshirts and Ralph Lauren pullovers popular in the 1990s, as well as vintage Levi’s.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

Its billionaire founder Jamie Salter built an empire by picking off labels such as Reebok and Champion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

The plane was identified as an Aeronca Champion, a single-engine aircraft with two people on board, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

He picked up a rosette for "Supreme Champion, Oldest Handler" for his efforts.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

“Let wood from the forests of Eyllwe defeat steel from Adarlan. Let the King’s Champion be someone who understands how the innocents suffer.”

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Jones raced in F1 between 1975 and 1986, winning the title in 1980 to become the first of Williams' seven world champions.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

The PGA Tour had opened a window in January for recent major champions, such as Rahm, to return if they accepted certain financial penalties.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Two league champions meet in a City Section Division 1 opener.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

"His experience of winning at the highest level and developing champions will be a huge asset to our team."

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

This was the last fight between the two great champions, as all the immortals knew.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Taylor, who declined to be interviewed for this story, has said that the laws he has championed prioritize public safety.

From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026

Max Eberl, Bayern Munich's board member for sport, championed Kane and Michael Olise but said the best players, external "are the ones who don't need to run a campaign".

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

Bass championed the work, saying it would help power the “massive economic driver” of tourism.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026

The project at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh state, a port often called Vizag, is championed by India as a cornerstone of its technological ambitions.

From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026

Paisley scarf championed with attitude around her neck.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

She won partners’ support by championing a remaking of Weil that would bulk up in practice areas including private equity to help it better compete with behemoths like Latham & Watkins and Kirkland & Ellis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

He took over the shop from his father and uncle and has spent the past two decades creating a hub for the local community and championing local producers.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026

"We also welcome the European Parliament's leadership in championing a harmonised, Europe-wide framework to keep kids safe," Cook said during a visit to an Apple store in Strasbourg.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

In retrospect, the shift from exalting those canceled for words to championing those canceled for alleged criminal behavior was inevitable.

From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026

"My lady, I beg the boon of championing your cause."

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

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Related Words

• challenger
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