Outpoint

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To exceed another competitor in terms of total points scored during a match
2. To finish a game or contest with a higher point total than the competitor
3. To accumulate more scoring marks in a competition than the opposing player or team

Etymology: "Outpoint" is a sporting verb built from the everyday prefix "out-" and the noun "point," meaning to gain more scoring points than an opponent. The prefix "out-" comes from Old English "ūt," meaning "outside" or "away from," which also gave us "out" itself. Its use as a prefix meaning "surpass" or "exceed" is what turns "point" into a contest verb: to outpoint someone is to beat them on points rather than by a knockout. The "point" half traces back through Middle English and Old French to Latin "punctum," a prick or small mark, from "pungere," to prick. The scoring sense grew from tallying marks on a scorecard, so a player who accumulated more of them was simply out-pointing the rival. The verb is a plain English compound and was not coined by any single author.