champion

[ cham-pee-uhn ]
See synonyms for champion on Thesaurus.com
noun
  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.

  2. anything that takes first place in competition: the champion of a cattle show.

  1. an animal that has won a certain number of points in officially recognized shows: This dog is a champion.

  2. a person who fights for or defends any person or cause: a champion of the oppressed.

  3. a fighter or warrior.

verb (used with object)
  1. to act as champion of; defend; support: to champion a cause.

  2. Obsolete. to defy.

adjective
  1. first among all contestants or competitors.

  2. Informal. first-rate.

Origin of champion

1
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”

Other words for champion

Opposites for champion

Other words from champion

  • cham·pi·on·less, adjective
  • cham·pi·on·like, adjective
  • non·cham·pi·on, noun
  • pre·cham·pi·oned, adjective
  • un·cham·pi·oned, adjective

Other definitions for Champion (2 of 2)

Champion
[ cham-pee-uhn ]

noun
  1. Gow·er [gou-er], /ˈgaʊ ər/, 1921–80, U.S. choreographer.

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

How to use champion in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for champion

champion

/ (ˈtʃæmpɪən) /


noun
    • a person who has defeated all others in a competition: a chess champion

    • (as modifier): a champion team

    • a plant or animal that wins first place in a show, etc

    • (as modifier): a champion marrow

  1. a person who defends a person or cause: champion of the underprivileged

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

adjective
  1. Northern English dialect first rate; excellent

adverb
  1. Northern English dialect very well; excellently

verb(tr)
  1. to support; defend: we champion the cause of liberty

Origin of champion

1
C13: from Old French, from Late Latin campiō, from Latin campus field, battlefield

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