round-robin

noun

round-rob·​in ˈrau̇nd-ˌrä-bən 

1

a

: a written petition, memorial, or protest to which the signatures are affixed in a circle so as not to indicate who signed first

b

: a statement signed by several persons

c

: something (such as a letter) sent in turn to the members of a group each of whom signs and forwards it sometimes after adding comment

2

: roundtable sense 1

3

: a tournament in which every contestant meets every other contestant in turn

4

: series, round

Synonyms

• colloquy
• conference
• council
• forum
• panel
• panel discussion
• parley
• roundtable
• seminar
• symposium

Examples of round-robin in a Sentence

a round-robin to discuss the epidemic of performance-enhancing drugs plaguing professional sports

Recent Examples on the Web

The annual exhibition pits top sluggers in a round-robin elimination tournament the day before the 94th Midsummer Classic at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2024

Pickleball fans will appreciate the round-robin sessions, and water lovers will enjoy the surfing lessons and sunset sails. —Sarah Sekula, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2024

The tournament consists of a round-robin where all four teams will face off. —Jackson Castellano, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2024

Wednesday’s matchup will be the first of three for the U.S. as the tournament shifts to a round-robin format. —Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

from the name Robin

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

round-robin

noun

ˈrau̇n-ˌdräb-ən

1

: a letter (as of protest) whose signers put their signatures in a circle so the receiver cannot tell who signed first

2

: a tournament in which every contestant plays once against every other contestant