sportsmanship

UK: /ˈspɔː^rtsmənʃɪp/ US: (spôrts′mən ship′, spōrts′-)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sports•man•ship  (spôrts′mən ship′, spōrts′-), n. 

1. Sport the character, practice, or skill of a sportsman.
2. sportsmanlike conduct, as fairness, courtesy, being a cheerful loser, etc.

• sportsman + -ship 1735–45

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sports•man /ˈspɔrtsmən/   n. [countable] , pl. -men. 

1. Sport one who participates in sports, esp. hunting and fishing.
2. one who shows that he or she has qualities of fairness, courtesy, and grace in winning and in losing.

sports•man•like, adj.: 

In a sportsmanlike gesture he helped his injured opponent to stand up again.

sports•man•ship, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sports•man  (spôrts′mən, spōrts′-), n., pl. -men. 

1. Sport a man who engages in sports, esp. in some open-air sport, as hunting, fishing, racing, etc.
2. a person who exhibits qualities especially esteemed in those who engage in sports, as fairness, courtesy, good temper, etc.

• sports + -man 1700–10

sports′man•like′, sports′man•ly, adj. 
sports′man•li•ness, n. 
Usage

See -man.