rival

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the contestant you hope to defeat

   The rivals had a great respect for one another.

2. 2
   verb

   be the rival of, be in competition with

   we are rivaling for first place in the race

3. 3
   verb

   be equal to in quality or ability

   Nothing can rival cotton for durability

4. 4
   noun

   A competitor (person, team, company, etc.) with the same goal as another, or striving to attain the same thing. Defeating a rival may be a primary or necessary goal of a competitor.

   Chris is my biggest rival in the 400-metre race.

5. 5
   noun

   Someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another.

   As a social historian, he has no rival.

6. 6
   noun

   One having a common right or privilege with another; a partner.

   If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, / The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.

7. 7
   adj

   Having the same pretensions or claims; standing in competition for superiority.

   rival lovers

8. 8
   verb

   To oppose or compete with.

   to rival somebody in love

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin rīvālis (literally “person using the same stream as another”). By surface analysis, Latin rīvus + -al.