ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sport

n. C / U
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈspɔɹt// UK //spˈɔːt// sport Archaic General-service Informal Slang

n. a game or physical activity that people do for fun or to compete against others. You usually play these by following specific rules, like in football or tennis.

n. an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. Often used collectively to refer to the entire industry or culture of athletic competition.


SIMPLE

Football is my favorite sport to play with friends.

CONTEXTUAL

The school offers a wide variety of sport and leisure activities for students after class.

COMPLEX

While some argue that chess qualifies as a sport due to its competitive nature, others insist that physical athleticism is a necessary component of the definition.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English sporten (“to divert, disport”, verb) and sport, spoort, sporte (noun), apheretic shortenings of disporten (verb) and disport, disporte (noun), from Old French desporter (“to divert, amuse, please, play; to seek amusement”), etymologically meaning "to carry away (the mind from serious matters)," from des- + porter, from Latin dis- + Latin portāre, ultimately from Latin deportāre, from de- + portāre, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to lead, pass over”)). Replaced native English laik, lake (“sport, fun, amusement”), and Middle English spile, spyl (“fun, sport, play”). More at disport. Doublet of disport and deport.

Usage

Used as a countable noun for specific games and as an uncountable noun when referring to the general category of athletic activity.

Idioms2 entries

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