A series of games or contests in which many players or teams compete to find an overall winner.
It comes from Old French 'torneiement', from 'tornoier' meaning 'to joust' or 'to turn about'. Originally it referred to medieval knightly contests on horseback.
The word began with knights charging and turning their horses in violent games, and now it includes chess, video games, and e-sports. The 'turning' idea lives on in how players take turns moving through brackets toward the final.
Tournaments in sports and games have often been segregated by gender, with women’s events receiving less funding, coverage, and prestige. Language around “the tournament” has sometimes defaulted to men’s competitions, erasing women’s and mixed-gender events.
Specify gender categories when relevant (e.g., “women’s tournament,” “mixed tournament”) and avoid treating men’s events as the default. Use inclusive language when inviting participants (e.g., “all players are welcome to enter”).
Women athletes and organizers have created and expanded tournaments for women and mixed-gender participation, challenging unequal pay, media coverage, and access.
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