What does competitiveness mean?
Competitiveness is the quality of being competitive — the capacity or drive to perform well against rivals. It operates on two main levels: as a personal trait describing someone who strongly wants to win, and as an economic measure of how effectively a company, industry, or nation can hold its own in a market. Phrases such as 'global competitiveness' and 'economic competitiveness' are staples of business journalism and government policy, usually signalling health, efficiency, and ambition. Applied to individuals, the word can be admiring or faintly critical, depending on whether the drive to win is seen as motivating or overbearing. Derived ultimately from the Latin competere, 'to strive together', competitiveness entered common English usage comparatively recently, gaining prominence in the twentieth century as international trade and sports culture made comparison between rivals a central feature of public life.
The quality or state of being competitive; the ability to succeed in rivalry with others.
"Switzerland consistently ranks high in measures of national competitiveness."
In economic writing the term is often treated as quantifiable, appearing in indices and rankings.
A strong desire to win or outperform others, as a personal characteristic.
"His fierce competitiveness drove him to train every morning before work."
This sense can carry either admiration for ambition or mild disapproval of excessive eagerness to win.
Economists rank whole nations by their 'competitiveness' — a word borrowed from the playground and applied to trillion-dollar economies.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of competitiveness
Competitiveness derives from compete, which comes from Latin competere, meaning 'to seek together' or 'to strive in common'. The root entered English via Old French in the late eighteenth century in its modern sense of contending with others. Competitiveness itself, formed from competitive plus the suffix -ness, became widespread only in the twentieth century, particularly in economic and sporting discourse. It shares its Latin origin with words such as petition and appetite, all stemming from the verb petere, 'to seek or aim at'.
Related word forms
How competitiveness is actually used
Competitiveness is used both as an abstract personal trait and, more commonly in journalism and economics, as a measurable attribute of firms, industries, and nations. In economic contexts it often appears in reports and rankings (e.g. 'global competitiveness'), where it carries a largely positive connotation of efficiency and strength. As a description of personality it can be neutral or mildly negative, suggesting excessive eagerness to win.
Easily confused with competitiveness
Competition is the act or contest of rivaling itself, while competitiveness is the quality of being able or inclined to compete well.