sumo

American  

[soo-moh] / ˈsu moʊ /

noun

1. a form of wrestling in Japan in which a contestant wins by forcing his opponent out of the ring or by causing him to touch the ground with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet, contestants usually being men of great height and weight.

---

sumo British  

/ ˈsuːməʊ /

noun

1. the national style of wrestling of Japan, the object of which is to force one's opponent to touch the ground with any part of his body except the soles of his feet or to step out of the ring

---

Other Word Forms

• sumoist noun

Etymology

Origin of sumo

1895–1900; < Japanese sumō, earlier suma(f )u to wrestle

Explanation

Sumo is a Japanese wrestling style in which opponents try to force each other out of a ring. Sumo wrestlers are known for being enormous. The wrestlers live together and follow ancient traditions like growing their hair and wearing robes. Sumo wrestling is an ancient Japanese sport that follows traditional rituals, such as tossing salt into the ring before a match to cleanse it, or even the manner of dress, in which giant men wear only small loincloths. In sumo wrestling, the two opponents grapple with the goal of pushing each other out of the ring or to the mat. The word sumo literally means "to mutually rush at," though it's used to mean simply "to compete."

Example Sentences

The men dressed up incongruously as samurai warriors, and Riley arranged for the sumo world champion to be there, all 350 pounds of him.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Paris has already hosted the wrestlers twice, in 1986 and 1995, and officials from the sumo association remember the trip as wrestlers themselves at the time.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

"Government agencies for sport and tourism are seeking to promote 'martial arts tourism', not only sumo, but also kendo and karate," he said.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

Sumo official and former wrestler Sehei Kise says he was struck by meeting France's then-president Jacques Chirac, who was a great fan of sumo.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

If cheating to lose is sport’s premier sin, and if sumo wrestling is the premier sport of a great nation, cheating to lose couldn’t possibly exist in sumo.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt