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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

Before the games at Intuit Dome, Unrivaled will start the season in Boston with a rematch of last season’s final, as the defending champion Mist take on Phantom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

In a private conversation with her coach Mark Knowles, American Pegula could be heard saying that French Open champion Andreeva "needs to be humbled" and that her coach Conchita Martinez encourages her behaviour.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

According to what he’s told me, he was the undefeated foosball champion at his school.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Find insight on Champion Iron, gold prices and more in the latest Market Talks covering Basic Materials.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 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

Champion of Westwood CEO Ken Graiwer responded by matching Harris’ donation, giving away 600 tickets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

Dettori has not ridden in Britain since October 2023 when he won the Champion Stakes on King of Steel at Ascot.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

Still staring at his outstretched hand, forever pointing toward an unreachable horizon, Celaena said a silent prayer for the dead Champion, and wished him well.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

After that, world champions South Africa will be a stern test before the finals weekend in London to round out the international window.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 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

Real are currently third in the league after 11 games - three points behind defending champions Barcelona.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

Her blond hair flies backward as Abby pushes her, and they’re the indisputable champions.

From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli

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

Prometheus was a Greek god who championed mankind, stealing fire for them from Zeus, being tortured for eternity as his punishment.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Top producers are featuring it, foodies are championing it and younger drinkers are embracing its balance and relative affordability.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 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

In addition to championing the executive order, she also signed it — a purely symbolic act, as the formal role of first ladies is ceremonial.

From Salon ● Oct. 21, 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

She had a long history of championing public causes.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein

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