sports

American

[spawrts, spohrts] / spɔrts, spoʊrts /

adjective

of or relating to a sport or sports, especially of the open-air or athletic kind.

a sports festival.
(of garments, equipment, etc.) suitable for use in open-air sports or for outdoor or informal use.

sports British

/ spɔːts /

noun

(modifier) relating to, concerned with, or used in sports

sports equipment
(modifier) relating to or similar to a sports car

sports seats
Also called: sports day. a meeting held at a school or college for competitions in various athletic events

"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

Etymology

Origin of sports

First recorded in 1910–15; sport + -s ³

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.

Lawyers for Fox wrote in a recent letter to the FCC that if more live sports move to paywalled streaming services, it could have “devastating consequences for consumers and broadcast stations alike.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

“Without a media ecosystem that supports local broadcast stations delivering free live sports, fans face the prospect of skyrocketing fees to watch their favorite teams,” Fox wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

A console features a Daruma doll, a miniature vintage sports car and a tiny replica of Perry holding her child, Rhodes.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

"You see it in all sports," Yardy says.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

And he did have other interests, including sports.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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