trophy

1 of 2

noun

tro·​phy ˈtrō-fē 

plural trophies

1

: something gained or given in victory or conquest especially when preserved or mounted as a memorial

2

a

: a memorial of an ancient Greek or Roman victory raised on the field of battle or on the nearest land for a naval victory

b

: a representation of such a memorial (as on a medal)

also : an architectural ornament representing a group of military weapons

3

: a game animal or fish suitable for mounting as a trophy

—usually used attributively

4

: one that is prized for qualities that enhance prestige or social status

—usually used attributively

a trophy wife

a trophy house

trophy transitive verb

-trophy

2 of 2

noun combining form

: nutrition : nurture : growth

dystrophy

Synonyms

Noun

• boast
• credit
• crown jewel
• glory
• honor
• jewel
• pride
• treasure

Examples of trophy in a Sentence

Noun

the mogul's latest trophies include a winter mansion in the Bahamas and a new sports car

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Harding won the trophy in 2013, Dubnyk won in 2015 and Dumba was a finalist in 2021. —Michael Russo, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025

Madrid has a mountain to climb in the decider at home a week from now, though if its anyone that can overcome such a deficit in the elite competition, look no further than the 15-time record winners and defending champions of the big-eared trophy. —Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

No team has won more Champions League trophies than Real Madrid (15) and its recent dominance has been such that the Spanish club has won five of the last 10 editions of the tournament. —Ben Church, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025

During the riots, vandals breached the Supreme Court building, broke open a cabinet containing de Moraes’s robe, and carried the door into the crowd as a trophy. —Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French trophee, from Medieval Latin tropheum, from Latin tropaeum, trophaeum, from Greek tropaion, from neuter of tropaios of a turning, of a rout, from tropē turn, rout, from trepein to turn

Noun combining form

New Latin -trophia, from Greek, from -trophos nourishing, from trephein

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing trophy

• trophy wife

Rhymes for trophy

• sophy
• trophy
• hypertrophy
• theosophy

Kids Definition

trophy

noun

tro·​phy ˈtrō-fē 

plural trophies

1

: something taken from the enemy in victory or conquest especially when kept and displayed as proof of one's bravery or victory

took the enemy's flags as trophies

2

: something given in recognition of a victory or as an award for achievement

a golf trophy

trophied

-fēd

adjective