tournament

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A series of contests in which a number of contestants compete and the one that prevails through the final round or that finishes with the best record is declared the winner.
2. n. A medieval martial sport in which two groups of mounted and armored combatants fought against each other with blunted lances or swords.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A tourney. See tourney and just.
2. n. In later times, a contest of skill in which men on horseback riding at full speed strove to carry off on their spears a certain number of rings hung just over their heads.
3. n. Encounter; shock of battle.
4. n. Any contest of skill in which a number of persons take part: as, a chess tournament.

Wiktionary

1. n. historical During the Middle Ages, a series of battles and other contests designed to prepare knights for war.
2. n. A series of games; either the same game played many times, or a succession of games related by a single theme; played competitively to determine a single winning team or individual.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A mock fight, or warlike game, formerly in great favor, in which a number of combatants were engaged, as an exhibition of their address and bravery; hence, figuratively, a real battle.
2. n. Any contest of skill in which there are many contestents for championship.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a series of jousts between knights contesting for a prize
2. n. a sporting competition in which contestants play a series of games to decide the winner