esports

American

[ee-spawrts] / ˈiˌspɔrts /

Or e-sports

noun

(usually used with a plural verb) competitive tournaments of video games, especially among professional gamers.
(used with a singular verb) esport, a video game suited to or popular in this kind of tournament.

adjective

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Students also organise their own esports events, taking responsibility for video production, broadcasting, commentary and tournament marketing.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

However, while it remains a leader in gaming and esports, Twitch's share of the overall live streaming market is being steadily eroded by YouTube Live, TikTok Live and a direct competitor, Kick.

From Barron's • May 30, 2026

After DeepMind’s AlphaGo computer program defeated world champion Lee Sedol in 2016, the lab set its sights on the game “StarCraft II” — widely deemed one of the hardest esports ever.

From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026

“I felt like I was on stage in a normal esports event. You could really feel the electricity and how tense it was being up there.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Initiatives include massive investments in soccer, tennis and esports in addition to golf.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023