Origin of rival

1570–80; < Latin rīvālis orig., one who uses a stream in common with another, equivalent to rīv(us) stream + -ālis -al1

SYNONYMS FOR rival

1 contestant, emulator, antagonist. See opponent.
4 competitive, opposed.
5 oppose.
7 match, emulate.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR rival ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM rival

Words nearby rival

ritz, ritz combination principle, ritzy, riv., rivage, rival, rivalrous, rivalry, rivals, the, rive, rivel

Words related to rival

competing, competitor, contender, competition, challenger, peer, adversary, opponent, emulate, equal, resemble, conflicting, opposed, cutthroat, combatant, battling, vying, combating, contesting

Example sentences from the Web for rival

British Dictionary definitions for rival

rival
/ (ˈraɪvəl) /

noun

  1. a person, organization, team, etc, that competes with another for the same object or in the same field
  2. (as modifier)rival suitors; a rival company
a person or thing that is considered the equal of another or others she is without rival in the field of economics

verb -vals, -valling or -valled or US -vals, -valing or -valed (tr)

to be the equal or near equal of an empire that rivalled Rome
to try to equal or surpass; compete with in rivalry

Word Origin for rival

C16: from Latin rīvalis, literally: one who shares the same brook, from rīvus a brook