Agency Dictionary
esports
nounPronunciation: /ˈiː.spɔːrts/
In Portuguese: e-sports
Play & Sport
Technology & AIWhat does “esports” mean?
Organized, competitive video gaming played at professional levels before audiences both online and in stadiums.
Etymology
A compound of the prefix e-, short for electronic, and sports. The prefix became productive in the 1990s on the model of e-mail. The word spread around the turn of the 21st century, as organized video game competitions gained leagues, sponsors and audiences. Sport itself is a shortening of disport, "amusement", from Old French desport, from a verb meaning to carry oneself away from work.
Usage note
Three spellings circulate: esports, e-sports and eSports. The form without hyphen or capital is now the most common in the press and in the industry.
Synonyms
- electronic sports
- competitive gaming
- pro gaming
Word family
- esport
- sport
- sporting
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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