What does ‘Sport’ mean when you say ‘the new Apple iPad sports cameras for video conferencing’?

Oishi-san: @Kosmonaut's, @SLaks', and @yorkensei's answers are all correct, but I think see where you are getting confused.

To "sport" something is to have it visible, or "show it off". Really, all it means in this context is that the new iPad has a camera and wants you to be impressed with that.

If you were sporting a new wristwatch, you would be wearing it in a way that implies you are proud of it. You would be hoping others would look and point and be impressed. In Japanese you would hope people were saying: あれ見て!すごいだよ!


This is an established use of the word sport; it is fairly informal, so I wouldn't write it in an academic paper, but it is not particularly unusual.

The relevant definition of the transitive verb, sport, from Merriam-Webster:

to display or wear usually ostentatiously : boast. "sporting expensive new shoes"


It's a verb that is used in the same sense as "features".

For example:

The car sports a brand-new navigation UI


It means to "wear or display" or simply "to have" in this case.

She was sporting a large diamond ring on her left hand.

So it can be used to mean "show off" also.


As others have said, in this context, sport means to have something, essentially, the new iPad has at least one camera.

I see from the comments you're also confused about the at least. What that means is the reporters have confirmed from their sources that there definitely is one camera, and there is the possibility that there might be two (or more). (As of right now, the current iPad model doesn't have any cameras, so this is a enhancement in technology for the iPad).