tournament
Americannoun
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tournaments
plural
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a trial of skill in some game, in which competitors play a series of contests.
a chess tournament.
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a meeting for contests in a variety of sports, as between teams of different nations.
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History/Historical.
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a contest or martial sport in which two opposing parties of mounted and armored combatants fought for a prize, with blunted weapons and in accordance with certain rules.
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a meeting at an appointed time and place for the performance of knightly exercises and sports.
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noun
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a sporting competition in which contestants play a series of games to determine an overall winner
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a meeting for athletic or other sporting contestants
an archery tournament
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medieval history
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(originally) a martial sport or contest in which mounted combatants fought for a prize
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(later) a meeting for knightly sports and exercises
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of tournament
1175–1225; Middle English tornement < Old French torneiement, equivalent to torne ( ier ) to tourney + -ment -ment
Explanation
A tournament refers to a gathering of competitors playing a series of games. There are chess tournaments, golf tournaments, tennis tournaments, and a number of tournaments titled “Tournament of Champions.” In medieval times, large groups of knights would gather and compete in a tournament. These tournaments were composed of a number of fighting events. In the melee event, the knights were divided into two teams which would ride at each other with lances, trying to unhorse the opposing knights. There is evidence that weapons were not blunted for these tournaments. Ouch.
Vocabulary lists containing tournament
March Vocabulary Words
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English Words Derived from French, List 2
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List 8
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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.
See Examples For:
And yet this year alone tournament directors in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Germany and Canada - as well as the United States - have wanted Williams at their events.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
The tournament will go ahead as scheduled from November 12-15, with details on new sponsorship arrangements to be announced at a later date, it said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
A darts challenge and a football tournament are also set to take place.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Few pairs in the $1 million tournament know each other better than France’s Gael Monfils and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
The tournament wasn’t for another year, but there was a series of friendlies—matches that got the crowds excited for the oncoming competitions—throughout the year before.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
He turned up for Rafa’s farewell lap and you can still see him at courtside at major tournaments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Scholars are expected to compete in weekly university tournaments as well as representing the university at in-person events.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
LIV has brought in high-profile musical acts to perform for fans at its tournaments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
It will launch after the US Open "with a focus on player input into sporting matters at the four Grand Slam tournaments".
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
The longer the Phoenix Riders stay in the championship tournaments, the more time I have to investigate the players.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
