esports

American  

[ee-spawrts] / ˈiˌspɔrts /

Or e-sports

noun

1. (usually used with a plural verb) competitive tournaments of video games, especially among professional gamers.

2. (used with a singular verb) esport, a video game suited to or popular in this kind of tournament.

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adjective

1. of or relating to esports.

   an esports event;

   esports gambling.

Etymology

Origin of esports

First recorded in 1995–2000; e- ² (electronic) + sports

Example Sentences

A Thai court on Tuesday sentenced two eSports players to three months in detention for cheating at the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand last year.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Worldwide, football eSports is becoming a regular fixture.

From Barron's • Oct. 28, 2025

But for top players, striving for glory in football video games is far less lucrative than battling for big prize money in fantasy eSports titles such as "League of Legends" or "Dota 2".

From Barron's • Oct. 28, 2025

That's because it usually requires knowledge of real-life football, said Pan, whose club aims to attract more young fans through eSports.

From Barron's • Oct. 28, 2025

One reason for the lower exposure and commercial value of football eSports is that "the bar for playing soccer games is higher".

From Barron's • Oct. 28, 2025