compete

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To take part in a contest, game, or similar event.

   Hundreds of runners competed in the city marathon.

2. 2
   verb

   To try to do better than others in order to win something, such as a prize, job, or customers.

   Small shops find it hard to compete with the big supermarkets.

3. 3
   verb

   To be good enough to have a real chance of winning or succeeding.

   With this new product, we can finally compete on the world stage.

Simplified etymology

Compete entered English in the early 17th century from Latin competere in its later sense “strive or contend for something.” Competere combines com-, “together,” with petere, “aim at” or “seek.”

Borrowed from Middle French competer, from Latin competere (“to coincide, to be equal to, to be capable of”), from com- (“with”) + petō (“to seek; to aim for, strive for”). Compare Latin competītor (“competitor”).

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary