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

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

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

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

The billionaire announced plans last July to combine the paper with studios and esports and take the Los Angeles Times’s parent company public.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

In January, she made her first appearance as a commentator at a major esports event.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

This year's busy esports season for "Siege" follows on from last year's revamp of its systems and graphics, which "laid the foundations for the 10 years ahead," he added.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026