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cham·pi·on (chămpē-ən)
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n.
1. One that wins first place or first prize in a competition.
2. One that is clearly superior or has the attributes of a winner: a champion at teaching.
3. An ardent defender or supporter of a cause or another person: a champion of the homeless.
4. One who fights; a warrior.
tr.v. cham·pi·oned, cham·pi·on·ing, cham·pi·ons
1. To fight for, defend, or support as a champion: championed the cause of civil rights. See Synonyms at support.
2. Obsolete To defy or challenge.
adj.
1. Holding first place or prize: a champion show dog.
2. Superior to all others: "the champion playboy of the Western World" (John Millington Synge).

[Middle English champioun, combatant, athlete, from Old French champion, from Medieval Latin campiō, campiōn-, from Germanic *kampjō, fighter, warrior, from *kampjan, to do battle, fight, from *kampaz, field of battle, battle, from Latin campus, field; see CAMPUS.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.