Competition or antagonism between two or more parties seeking the same objective or superiority in the same field.
From Latin 'rivalis' meaning 'of a brook or stream,' originally referring to people who shared water rights from the same river. The competitive sense developed because neighbors sharing water sources often disputed usage rights.
The etymology of rivalry beautifully captures how competition often arises from scarcity - originally, literal neighbors fighting over water rights. This ancient connection between shared resources and conflict still underlies most modern rivalries, whether in sports, business, or academics.
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