rival

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A person, team, or company competing with another for the same thing.

   Chris is my biggest rival in the race.

2. 2
   verb

   To be as good as or equal to someone or something.

   Few cities can rival Paris for sheer beauty.

3. 3
   adj

   Competing for the same thing.

   The two rival companies both wanted the contract.

Simplified etymology

Rival entered English in the late 16th century from Latin rivalis, originally “a person living on the opposite bank and using the same stream.” It derives from Latin rivus “stream,” so a rival was initially someone with whom one shared a water supply.

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

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary