competition

American  

[kom-pi-tish-uhn] / ˌkɒm pɪˈtɪʃ ən /

noun

1. the act of competing; rivalry for supremacy, a prize, etc..

   The competition between the two teams was bitter.

   Synonyms:

   emulation

2. a contest for some prize, honor, or advantage.

   Both girls entered the competition.

   Synonyms:

   struggle

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.

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competition British  

/ ˌkɒmpɪˈtɪʃən /

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

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competition Scientific  

/ kŏm′pĭ-tĭsh′ən /

1. The simultaneous demand by two or more organisms for limited environmental resources, such as nutrients, living space, or light.

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Other Word Forms

• noncompetition adjective
• procompetition adjective
• supercompetition noun

Etymology

Origin of competition

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Late Latin competītiōn-, stem of competītiō “agreement, rivalry,” from competīt(us) “agreed, met” (past participle of competere “to agree, come together, meet”; compete ( def. ) ) + -iō -ion; sense influenced by competitor

Example Sentences

Thousands of fans were nominated by their friends for the exclusive invitation to Paris as part of the promotional competition.

From BBC

Exports drive growth while race-to-the-bottom competition from overproduction hits prices, profits, wages and sales.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Best in Show” is set inside the competitive world of dog shows and follows a handful of stage parents who enter their pampered canines in competitions around the country.

From Los Angeles Times

While the opening ceremony takes place on February 6, the competitions start as early as February 4, notably with curling at Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Dolomites.

From Barron's

The government will then open a bidding process with new license terms for the facilities, possibly separating the two ports to maximize value and market competition.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• championship
• clash
• event
• fight
• game
• match
• meeting
• race
• rivalry
• sport
• struggle
• tournament
• trial