Contests

/ˈkɒnˌtɛsts/ noun

Definition

Competitions or fights where people try to win against each other; or the verb meaning to challenge or dispute something.

Etymology

From Latin 'contestari' (to bring to trial), combining 'con-' (together) and 'testari' (to testify). The word evolved from legal language meaning 'to dispute in court' to mean any kind of competition.

Kelly Says

The word 'contest' has a surprising legal origin—when it meant 'to contest a will,' you were literally making people testify against each other in court, so the word originally meant legal battle before it meant sports competition!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.