Competes

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /kəmˈpiːts/

Definitions

1. Takes part in a contest or rivalry to win or achieve a goal
2. Acts as a participant striving to outperform others in a competition
3. Contends against others by trying to be better in a competitive situation

Etymology: "Competes" is simply the third-person singular present form of "compete," so its history is that of the verb. "Compete" was borrowed from Middle French "competer," which in turn came from the Latin "competere," a word whose original sense was closer to "coincide" or "be equal to" than to rivalry. The Latin verb joined "com-" ("with" or "together") to "petere" ("to seek, aim for, strive for"), so the underlying idea is of two parties reaching for the same thing at once. The modern sense of a contest between rivals grew out of that shared aiming. Where the Latin meant things falling together or measuring up to one another, English speakers came to use the verb for striving against others for the same prize. The Latin noun "competitor," a rival or fellow candidate, sits beside it as a close relative, and it helps show how the notion of meeting or matching turned into the notion of opposing.

Synonyms: contests, rivals, challenges, strives, fights

Antonyms: cooperates, collaborates, assists, helps, supports