Victory Meaning

/ˈvɪktəɹi/
B1

Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Listen pronunciation

nounThe condition or state of having won a battle or competition, or having succeeded in an effort; (countable) an instance of this.

nounAlternative letter-case form of Victory (“(uncountable) the Roman goddess of victory, the counterpart of the Greek goddess Nike; also (countable), an artistic depiction of her, chiefly as a winged woman”).

We are firmly confident of victory.
They gained a victory.
The election victory is a clear endorsement of their policies.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
Their hard work paid off when they achieved a great ____ over the other team.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The sudden ____ was a cause for great celebration in the city, with thousands of people gathered in the streets today.

The noun is derived from Middle English victory, victori, victorie (“supremacy, victory; a defeat or vanquishing, conquest; superior military force; might, power, strength; triumphal celebration or procession; monument commemorating a defeat; superior position, dominance; mastery; moral victory, vindication; success, triumph; redemption, salvation; resurrection of Jesus; means of achieving spiritual victory; reward for or token of perseverance in a spiritual struggle”) [and other forms], borrowed from Anglo-Norman victorie and Old French victorie, a variant of victoire (“victory, win”) (modern French victoire), from Latin victōria (“victory”), from victor (“champion, winner, victor; conqueror, vanquisher”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyk- (“to contain, envelop; to overcome”)) + -ia (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns). The English word is analysable as victor + -y (suffix forming abstract nouns denoting a condition, quality, or state), and displaced Middle English siȝe, sye. The interjection is derived from the noun. Cognates Cognate with French victoire, Italian vittoria, Portuguese vitoria, Spanish victoria, Romanian victorie. Tamil வெற்றி (veṟṟi) (pronounced roughly like "vetri") is a false cognate.

"I behelde, and the ſame horne made battail agaynſt the ſayntes, yee ãd gat the victory off them: […]" — 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Daniel vij:[21], folio lxxxi, recto, column 1:
"Hieronimo, it greatly pleaſeth vs, / That in our victorie thou haue a ſhare, / By vertue of thy vvorthy Sonnes exployt." — c. 1587 (date written), [Thomas Kyd], The Spanish Tragedie: […] (Fourth Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for T[homas] Pauier, […], published 1602, →OCLC, Act I:
"VVhy ſo: then am I ſure of Victorie. Novv therefore let vs hence, and loſe no hovvre, / Till vvee meet VVarvvicke, vvith his forreine povvre." — c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 164, column 1:
"Fortune and victorie ſet on thy helme." — c. 1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Sims [and Peter Short] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v]:
"The teares haue got ſmall victory by that, / For it vvas bad enough before their ſpite." — c. 1591–1595 (date written), [William Shakespeare], […] Romeo and Juliet. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, published 1597, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words

CEFR Practice Quiz
Their hard work paid off when they achieved a great ____ over the other team.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The sudden ____ was a cause for great celebration in the city, with thousands of people gathered in the streets today.

Expand Your Vocabulary with LexUp

Master English words using smart flashcards, play exciting word rounds, and compete with other learners worldwide.

Browse CEFR Words Alphabetically