Overdogs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The term refers to individuals or teams that are favored to win in a competition or contest
2. It describes those perceived as having a superior position or advantage over others in a competitive scenario
3. The word indicates participants who are expected to succeed due to their perceived strength or resources compared to their opponents

Etymology: "Overdogs" is the plural of "overdog," a noun for the contender expected to win well ahead of the field. Its shape is a deliberate echo of "underdog," the older term for the competitor given little chance of victory. English speakers formed "overdog" by attaching the prefix "over-" to "dog" and building it on that existing pattern, so the pair works as a matched set. The plural follows ordinary English practice: add "-s" to the noun, giving "overdogs" for more than one favorite. Both words draw on the sense of "dog" as a competitor or combatant, a usage long familiar from phrases like "top dog," which is why the coinage reads naturally to speakers who know "underdog."