Dictionary.com
definitions
  • synonyms

competition

[kom-pi-tish-uh n]
See more synonyms for competition on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the act of competing; rivalry for supremacy, a prize, etc.: The competition between the two teams was bitter.
  2. a contest for some prize, honor, or advantage: Both girls entered the competition.
  3. the rivalry offered by a competitor: The small merchant gets powerful competition from the chain stores.
  4. a competitor or competitors: What is your competition offering?
  5. Sociology. rivalry between two or more persons or groups for an object desired in common, usually resulting in a victor and a loser but not necessarily involving the destruction of the latter.
  6. Ecology. the struggle among organisms, both of the same and of different species, for food, space, and other vital requirements.
Show More

Origin of competition

1595–1605; < Late Latin competītiōn- (stem of competītiō), equivalent to competīt(us) (past participle of competere to meet, come together) + -iōn- -ion; sense influenced by competitor
Related formsnon·com·pe·ti·tion, adjectivepro·com·pe·ti·tion, adjectivesu·per·com·pe·ti·tion, noun

Synonyms

See more synonyms for competition on Thesaurus.com
1. emulation. 2. struggle.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for competition

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

British Dictionary definitions for competition

competition

noun
  1. the act of competing; rivalry
  2. a contest in which a winner is selected from among two or more entrants
  3. a series of games, sports events, etc
  4. the opposition offered by a competitor or competitors
  5. a competitor or competitors offering opposition
  6. ecology the struggle between individuals of the same or different species for food, space, light, etc, when these are inadequate to supply the needs of all
Show More
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

Word Origin and History for competition

n.

c.1600, "action of competing," from Latin competitionem (nominative competitio) "agreement, rivalry," noun of action from past participle stem of competere (see compete). Meaning "a contest for something" is from 1610s. Sense of "rivalry in the marketplace" attested from 1793; that of "entity or entities with which one competes" is from 1961, especially in business.

Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
competition in Medicine

competition

(kŏm′pĭ-tĭsh′ən)
n.
  1. The process by which the activity or presence of one substance interferes with or suppresses the activity of another substance with similar affinities, as of antigens.
  2. The simultaneous demand by two or more organisms for limited environmental resources.
Show More
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
competition in Science

competition

[kŏm′pĭ-tĭsh′ən]
  1. The simultaneous demand by two or more organisms for limited environmental resources, such as nutrients, living space, or light.
Show More
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.