ENGLISH
REFERENCE

premiership

n.
US //pɹɛˈmɪɹˌʃɪp// UK //pɹˈɛmɪəʃˌɪp// pre·mier·ship
  1. 1 office of prime minister (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    the period of time someone is prime minister, or the job itself.

    the office, period of office, or dignity of a premier or prime minister.

    Example

    Her premiership was marked by significant changes to the country's tax laws.

    Example

    Historians often debate whether his premiership was defined more by his domestic reforms or by his handling of the international crisis.

    Usage

    Often used with a possessive noun or pronoun to indicate a specific leader's time in power.
  2. 2 top sports league (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English Sport

    the highest level of professional competition in a sport, especially football or rugby.

    the highest division of a professional sports league, most commonly referring to the top tiers of English football or rugby.

    Example

    The team worked hard all season to win a place in the premiership.

    Example

    After years of financial struggle, the club finally secured promotion to the premiership, guaranteeing them a massive increase in television revenue.

    Usage

    Usually capitalized when referring to a specific league name like the 'English Premiership'.
    • top flight
    • major league
  3. 3 championship title (n.)
    C1 Advanced Dialect American English Sport

    the position of being the champion team at the end of a season.

    the status or title held by the champion team at the conclusion of a sporting season.

    Example

    The fans celebrated in the streets after the club won the premiership.

    Example

    Winning the premiership was a historic moment for the small-town team, who had never previously reached the grand final.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is particularly common in Australian Rules Football (AFL) contexts.
Origin

From premier + -ship.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026