victory

[vik-tuh-ree, vik-tree]

noun

plural

victories 

1. a success or triumph over an enemy in battle or war.

   Antonyms: defeat

2. an engagement ending in such triumph.

   American victories in the Pacific were won at great cost.

   Antonyms: defeat

3. the ultimate and decisive superiority in any battle or contest.

   The new vaccine effected a victory over poliomyelitis.

   Antonyms: defeat

4. a success or superior position achieved against any opponent, opposition, difficulty, etc..

   a moral victory.

5. (initial capital letter),  the ancient Roman goddess Victoria, often represented in statues or on coins as the personification of victory.

victory

¹

/ ˈvɪktərɪ /

noun

1. final and complete superiority in a war

2. a successful military engagement

3. a success attained in a contest or struggle or over an opponent, obstacle, or problem

4. the act of triumphing or state of having triumphed

Victory

²

/ ˈvɪktərɪ /

noun

1. another name (in English) for Victoria 3

2. another name (in English) for Nike

Other Word Forms

• victoryless adjective
• nonvictory noun
• supervictory noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of victory¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English victorie, from Latin victōria, equivalent to victōr-, stem of victor victor + -ia -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of victory¹

C14: from Old French victorie, from Latin victōria, from vincere to subdue

Idioms and Phrases

see pyrrhic victory.

Synonym Study

Victory, conquest, triumph refer to a successful outcome of a struggle. Victory suggests the decisive defeat of an opponent in a contest of any kind: victory in battle; a football victory. Conquest implies the taking over of control by the victor, and the obedience of the conquered: a war of conquest; the conquest of Peru. Triumph implies a particularly outstanding victory: the triumph of a righteous cause; the triumph of justice.

Example Sentences

Unfair government seizure of private property is all too common, so a victory by the Henry family in New Jersey is cause for satisfaction.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The language was slightly stronger, of course, but for the first time in in nearly nine months, West Ham were on course for a home victory.

Read more on BBC

List of Women's Cricket World Cup champions after India won their first title with victory over South Africa on Sunday:

Read more on Barron's

Those two victories came on the opening day of the season at home to Wrexham and away at Sheffield United on the final day of September.

Read more on BBC

The 57-year-old, who enjoyed going to the pub to celebrate victories with Wolves fans last season, leaves after just 11 months at Molineux.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• achievement 
• advantage 
• defeat 
• gain 
• grand slam 
• hit 
• sweep 
• triumph 
• winning