beauty contest

noun

a competition in which the entrants, usually women, are judged as to physical beauty and sometimes personality and talent, with the winners awarded prizes or titles.
Informal. any contest, election, etc., that is decided on the basis of popularity.

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Origin of beauty contest

First recorded in 1895–1900

Words nearby beauty contest

beautiful, beautiful people, beautifully, beautify, beauty, beauty contest, beauty is only skin deep, beauty queen, beauty salon, beauty sleep, beauty spot
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

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British Dictionary definitions for beauty contest

beauty contest

noun

a competition in which the participants, usually women, are judged on their attractiveness, with a prize, and often a title, awarded to the winner
informal any contest decided on the basis of superficial attractiveness, popularity, etcthe referendum might turn into a party political beauty contest
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012