Rival

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈɹaɪvəl/

Definitions

1. A person or entity competing with another for the same objective or superiority in a particular field
2. An individual or group that competes against another to achieve the same goal or to attain higher status within a specific arena
3. A competitor or opponent striving for the same achievements or recognition as another in a given context

Etymology: The Latin "rivalis" meant "person using the same stream," a far more physical picture than the modern sense of a competitor for success. It is built from "rivus," "stream" or "brook," with the adjective-forming suffix "-alis," so a rival was originally a neighbour who shared a watercourse with you. Because people living along the same river often quarrelled over water rights, the sense grew from sharing a resource to contending for it. English borrowed the word directly from Latin, so it is a learned borrowing rather than a word that came down through French. Its earliest English uses kept the older idea of someone who shared a claim on the same thing, and the broader sense of a competitor took hold from there. The word also gives English the related noun "rivalry," formed on the same stem, and the verb "rival," which means to compete with someone or to match them.

Synonyms: competitor, opponent, contender, foe, adversary

Antonyms: ally, friend, supporter, partner