sumo

[ soo-moh ]

noun

1. a form of wrestling in Japan in which a contestant wins by forcing his opponent out of the ring or by causing him to touch the ground with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet, contestants usually being men of great height and weight.

sumo

/ ˈsuːməʊ /

noun

1. the national style of wrestling of Japan, the object of which is to force one's opponent to touch the ground with any part of his body except the soles of his feet or to step out of the ring

Other Words From

• sumo·ist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sumo¹

1895–1900; < Japanese sumō, earlier suma(f )u to wrestle

Word History and Origins

Origin of sumo¹

from Japanese sumō

Example Sentences

On both sides of the Pacific, fans and peers paid tribute to him as a pioneer who had blazed a path for other foreign sumo wrestlers to follow.

From BBC

Taro Akebono, a Hawaii-born sumo wrestler who became the sport’s first foreign grand champion and helped to fuel a resurgence in the sport’s popularity in the 1990s, has died in Tokyo.

From New York Times

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Akebono, a giant in the world of sumo, a proud Hawaiian and a bridge between the United States and Japan,” Emanuel posted.

From Seattle Times

He pulled out of sumo tournaments earlier this year over a knee injury - around the same time as the allegations against him started to surface, Japanese media reports.

From BBC

The long tradition of wrestling in Mongolia has produced a line of sumo wrestlers who have dominated the sport in Japan for several decades.

From Seattle Times