game-show
UK[ˈɡeɪm ʃəʊ]US[ˈɡeɪm ʃoʊ]
n
A television program in which contestants compete to win prizes by playing games of knowledge or skill.
Morpheme Breakdown
game
show
game
contest
show
performance
Etymology
The compound "game-show" is a modern formation from two native English roots. "Game" originates from the Old English "gamen," meaning amusement or sport, a concept with deep Germanic roots related to communal play. "Show" derives from the Old English "sceawian," meaning to look or see, which evolved to denote a spectacle or presentation for viewing. The fusion of these elements in the mid-20th century logically creates a term for a televised spectacle centered on competitive amusement, directly describing its format as a "show" featuring "games."
Analysis
Structure: game (contest) + show (performance)
- game: From Old English 'gamen' (sport, fun, amusement). In this compound, it functions as the core noun specifying the type of activity.
- show: From Old English 'sceawian' (to look at, see). In this compound, it functions as the noun specifying the medium or format of presentation.
Examples
She became a household name after winning a large cash prize on a popular game-show.
The classic game-show format involves a host, contestants, and a series of trivia questions.
They are developing a new interactive game-show for a streaming platform.