Upmanship

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The practice or ability of skillfully surpassing others in a competitive or clever way
2. A talent for cleverly gaining an advantage over people by outwitting or outdoing them
3. The art of outsmarting or exceeding others through strategic or clever actions

Etymology: "Upmanship" is not really a word on its own; it survives only as the second half of "one-upmanship," and that is where its story lies. The first part, "one-up," is a plain English phrase for getting the better of someone, a sense that goes back to the idea of gaining an advantage by a single notch or step. The ending "-manship" is what gives the whole thing its flavour. That ending was borrowed from "gamesmanship," a term coined by Stephen Potter, the British writer known for his comic books on social manoeuvring. Potter's "gamesmanship" described the art of winning through subtle tactics that stay just inside the rules, and "-manship" became a playful pattern for naming such skills. "One-upmanship" follows that model, turning the suffix into a label for the knack of always seeming to have the upper hand in social situations.

Synonyms: competitiveness, one-upmanship