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"winner" in seven languages

Meaningwinner

Spanish

ganador

/ganaˈdoɾ/

masc.other source · ganar 'to win', of disputed (probably Germanic) origin

Vencedor, from VINCERE, is the more solemn word.

French

gagnant

/gaɲɑ̃/

masc.other source · gagner, from Frankish *waidanjan 'to forage'

Vainqueur, from VINCERE, is the victor of a battle or a final.

Italian

vincitore

/vintʃiˈtore/

masc.inherited

Built on vincere 'to win'; the feminine is vincitrice.

Portuguese

vencedor

/vẽseˈdoh/

masc.inherited

Built on vencer 'to win'; ganhador is also used.

Romanian

câștigător

/kɨʃtigəˈtor/

masc.other source · câștiga 'to win', from Latin CASTĪGĀRE 'to chastise'

Învingător, from VINCERE, is the victor of a fight.

Catalan

guanyador

/gwəɲəˈdo/

masc.other source · guanyar 'to win', of disputed (probably Germanic) origin

English

winner

/ˈwɪnɚ/

native English · Old English winnan 'to strive'

English → ItalianwinnervincitoreNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: victory, victor, convince, invincible.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

VINCERE‘to conquer, win’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Italian wins with Latin VINCERE, the vīcī of Caesar's veni, vidi, vici. French gagner began as a Frankish word for grazing and foraging; Spanish ganar is of disputed Germanic origin.

English relatives: victory, victor, convince, invincible

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In a sentence

  • esY el ganador es…
  • frEt le gagnant est…
  • itE il vincitore è…
  • ptE o vencedor é…
  • roIar câștigătorul este…
  • caI el guanyador és…
  • enAnd the winner is…

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