Spoilsport

/ˈspɔɪlspɔːrt/ noun

Definition

A person who ruins everyone's fun by refusing to participate or by complaining about other people's enjoyment.

Etymology

Compound word combining 'spoil' (to ruin) and 'sport' (play/fun). First recorded in English around 1670 as a single term for someone who dampens the mood of recreational activities.

Kelly Says

The term 'sport' originally meant any game or pastime, so a 'spoilsport' was literally someone who spoiled the sport—but it's such a perfectly picturesque word that it stuck around even though we don't really use 'sport' that way anymore.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

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