tour·na·ment 
(trnə-mənt, tûr-)
(trnə-mənt, tûr-)n.
1. 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. A medieval martial sport in which two groups of mounted and armored combatants fought against each other with blunted lances or swords.
[Middle English tournement, a medieval sport, from Old French torneiement, from torneier, to tourney; see TOURNEY.]