# tourney

/ˈtɝni/ (US) · /tˈɔːni/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tourney
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

a competition or tournament where people play games or sports to find a winner. This word is an older, more poetic way to say 'tournament'.

For teachers: a sporting competition or series of contests; often used in literary or historical contexts to describe medieval knightly competitions.

## Examples

- The local chess club holds a tourney every summer.
- The historical novel describes a grand tourney where knights competed for the king's favor.

## Usage notes

- Often used in fantasy literature or historical contexts; less common in modern news reporting than 'tournament'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.