Tiebreak

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A game or contest played to determine a winner when two competitors or teams have finished equal in score
2. A deciding match or game between opponents whose earlier games resulted in a draw or equal scores
3. A contest held to break a tie and establish which of two equally matched competitors is the victor

Etymology: The tiebreak is about as transparent as English compounds get: "tie" joined to "break," with the sense of breaking a deadlock between equal competitors. Its story is less about where the parts came from than about what the combined word came to mean. Both elements are ordinary, long-established English words, and the compound describes a practical need: a way to settle a contest that has ended level. The sense is worth a moment's thought. A "break" in this sense is a decisive interruption or split, and applied to a tie, it means breaking the stalemate so that one side wins. The word has since spread well beyond sport, into elections, committees and any situation where a vote or score has come out even and a decision must still be reached.

Synonyms: tiebreaker, decider