compétition (French)

Where does "compétition" come from?

The French noun 'compétition' was borrowed from the Late Latin accusative form 'competitiōnem'[1], derived from the noun 'competitio'[3]. This term traces back to the Latin verb 'competō'[1], which combines the prefix 'con-', meaning 'with' or 'together', and the verb 'petō', meaning 'to seek, aim, or head for'[2]. Ultimately, Latin 'petō' descends from the Proto-Indo-European root '*peth₂-', meaning 'to fly'[4][5][6], reflecting a gradual shift in sense from flying toward something to actively striving or seeking alongside others.

Open questions

The semantic link between the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to fly' and Latin 'petō' relies on an assumed shift from flying towards something to trying to reach it. [4]
The Proto-Indo-European forms '*péth₂eti' and '*peth₂-' are reconstructed rather than historically attested, with several proposed root variations. [4] [5] [6]

Full etymology tree

compétition (French), 'competition'
- borrowed competitionem (Latin), 'accusative singular of competītiō'
  - inherited competitio (Latin), 'rivalry'
    - suffix competo (Latin), 'to come together, meet'
      - prefix con- (Latin), 'Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing together of several objects'
      - prefix peto (Latin), 'to ask, beg, request, look for, inquire, petition, entreat'
        inherited *péth₂eti (Proto-Indo-European), 'to fly'
        derived *peth₂- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to spread out'
    - suffix -tio (Latin), '-tion, -ation, -ing; suffixed to verbs to form action nouns denoting a process, action, or result of an action.'

Ancestors

competitio (Latin)
competo (Latin)

Sources

Updated September 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris