champion · noun C /ˈtʃæm.pi.ən/
champion (WINNER)
B1 a person, animal, or team that wins a competition
Dictionary examples:
an Olympic champion
the division/league/World champions
She is the world champion for the third year in a row.
The defending champion plays his first match of this tournament tomorrow.
Learner example:
Last week I played with a person who was the world chess champion! (Preliminary English Test; B1; Japanese)
champion (SUPPORT)
C2 someone who supports, defends, or fights for a person, belief, or principle
Dictionary example:
a champion of human rights
Learner example:
What this argument attempts to show is that too much emphasis on them, perhaps accelerated by commercial interests, has let them act as if they were the champions of personal virtues. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Japanese)
