tournament

American  

[toor-nuh-muhnt, tur-] / ˈtʊər nə mənt, ˈtɜr- /

noun

1. a trial of skill in some game, in which competitors play a series of contests.

   a chess tournament.

2. a meeting for contests in a variety of sports, as between teams of different nations.

3. History/Historical.

   1. 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.

   2. a meeting at an appointed time and place for the performance of knightly exercises and sports.

---

tournament British  

/ ˈtɜː-, ˈtʊənəmənt, ˈtɔː- /

noun

1. a sporting competition in which contestants play a series of games to determine an overall winner

2. a meeting for athletic or other sporting contestants

   an archery tournament

3. medieval history

   1. (originally) a martial sport or contest in which mounted combatants fought for a prize

   2. (later) a meeting for knightly sports and exercises

---

Other Word Forms

• pretournament
  noun

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.

Example Sentences

There is a precedent from perhaps football's most high-profile case of spying, from the 2024 Olympics women's tournament in Paris.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

The Braves move on in pool C to host Sierra Canyon on Friday as part of a 16-team tournament with four pools.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Jose Rodrigues, who drank a Guinness at the dark wood-paneled bar with his wife Ann, agreed that the tournament was out of reach for his family of five.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

The loser will face the winner of the Oaks Christian at Cypress game to stay alive in the tournament.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

In the first few weeks of his membership, Bobby enrolled in a tournament for C players and won it easily.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• contest
• event
• fight
• match
• meeting
• series
• sport
• test
• tourney