What does rivalry mean?
Word: Rivalry
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Rivalry means a long-running contest between people, teams or groups who each want to win or be the best.
Word origin: From rival, which comes from the Latin word rivalis.
How do you spell rivalry?
Syllables: ri - val - ry
Tricky part: The ending is just ry, with no e before it, even though rivalery is what many ears catch when the word is said quickly.
Watch out for: rivalery, rivalrey
Memory tip: Rivals race straight for the line, and the word does too: after the l it runs directly into ry.
Rivalry in a sentence
Example 1: The friendly rivalry between the two hockey teams made the school final worth watching.
Example 2: My sister and I have a long rivalry over who can finish the Sunday crossword first.
Example 3: The rivalry between the two bakeries on our street means both of them sell excellent cakes.
Fun Fact
The Ashes is one of the oldest rivalries in sport: England and Australia have played Test cricket for it since the 1882-83 season.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the option in which the following letters will fit in the given order:
i, a
a) s__l__ry
b) c__l__ry
c) r__v__lry
d) g__ll__ry
Show answer
c) r__v__lry. Rivalry takes i then a; celery needs e twice, salary needs a twice and gallery needs a then e.
Back to the Roots
Choose the correct option:
Rival comes from the Latin word rivalis, which first described people who shared the same ___.
a) school
b) name
c) house
d) stream
Show answer
d) stream. Rivalis comes from rivus, a stream, and first meant someone who used the same stream as another person.
Word Tally
How many words are misspelt in the given sentence?
Their rivalry ended when the two school bands agreed to share the stage at the anual consert in Pune.
a) 2
b) 1
c) 3
d) 0
Show answer
a) 2. Annual needs a double n and concert has a c in the middle, so two words are wrong.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with a word of similar meaning:
1. rivalry 2. obstinate 3. timid a. stubborn b. competition c. shy
a) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
b) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
c) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
Show answer
c) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. Rivals are in competition, an obstinate person is stubborn and a timid person is shy.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is the best example of a rivalry?
a) a family going on a picnic together
b) two clubs chasing the same trophy every season
c) a teacher helping a pupil with a sum
d) two friends sharing one lunch box every day
Show answer
b) two clubs chasing the same trophy every season
2. A sibling rivalry is a rivalry between ___.
a) teachers and pupils
b) shopkeepers and buyers
c) players and umpires
d) brothers and sisters
Show answer
d) brothers and sisters
