Gamesmanship

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The practice of using clever and sometimes unfair tactics to gain an advantage in contests or games
2. Employing strategic, borderline unethical maneuvers to influence the outcome of competitive situations
3. The art of manipulating opponents subtly and skilfully to secure benefits during competitions despite questionable fairness

Etymology: "Gamesmanship" is built from "game," a linking "-s-," and "-manship," which is a suffix that turns a person-noun into a word for the skill or conduct associated with that person, as in "workmanship" or "statesmanship." The source offers two possible routes: a blend of "game" with "-manship" added directly, or an existing "gamesman" with "-ship" attached. Either way, the pattern follows the familiar model of "one-upmanship," a term that gained currency in the same mid-twentieth-century period. The suffix's own story explains the word's flavour. "-manship" carries a sense of practised craft, so "statesmanship" suggests skill in governing, and "gamesmanship" suggests skill in playing, even when the skill is a shrewd bending of the rules. The word therefore praises technique while hinting at its moral edge: a gamesman wins by knowing exactly how far the rules can be stretched.

Synonyms: manipulation, deception

Antonyms: fair play