Difference between "game" and "sport"

• Definition of sport:

  1. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
  2. A particular form of this activity.
  3. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
  4. An active pastime; recreation.

• Definition of game:

  1. An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime: party games; word games.
  2. 
     
     • A competitive activity or sport in which players contend with each other according to a set of rules: the game of basketball; the game of gin rummy.
     • A single instance of such an activity: We lost the first game.
     • GAMES: An organized athletic program or contest: track-and-field games; took part in the winter games. [like the Olympics]
     • A period of competition or challenge: It was too late in the game to change the schedule of the project.
  3. 
     
     • The total number of points required to win a game: One hundred points is game in bridge.
     • The score accumulated at any given time in a game: The game is now 14 to 12.
  4. The equipment needed for playing certain games: packed the children's games in the car.
  5. A particular style or manner of playing a game: improved my tennis game with practice.

  (There are more meanings to "game" but they are not relevant)

There is an overlap between games and sports. Generally, sports require some sort of physical effort of specialised skill while games are more organised affairs with rules.

The word game has several meanings. You can, for example, play a game of sports, but you can't sport a game. A good example would be if you think of the Olympics. The Olympics are referred to as a the Olympic Games yet the game is a competition to collect as many medals as possible by partaking in specific sports.

Another example is baseball. Baseball is a sport but the Baseball World Series is a game in which teams play the sport of baseball while their overall scores between games are tracked for a position on a leaderboard (the game).

I was so intrigued by this I've just read through Roget's and checked various dictionaries, and what I've always suspected appears to be confirmed. First, it seems 'game' and 'sport' are synonyms, though originally 'sport' might have meant physical exertion, as in hurdling or whatever. Both games and sports are, though, pastimes or contests, and having been married to a cricketer many years ago, I discovered that, although the team members often said things like 'the game is up' or 'we won the game', my calling it a game or pastime provoked a strong reaction. No, no, it is a 'sport' they'd say, as if this was somehow different.

I believe it's an ego thing - a game is a sport is a contest, but somehow, 'sport' seems to confer gravitas in a way which game does not, presumably because of the obvious use of 'game' to mean any game, including parlour games or children's games. Technically, one is at sport if you're playing charades, and it is a contest of a sort, but played simply for fun, so 'game' seems to be used for, or perceived as, a word for something which is just for fun, whereas 'sport' appears to mean something we should take very seriously, and in which the contenders are very serious. The application of the word 'sport' to, say, a game of cricket or football is something players or supporters will want to hear used - they will be somewhat annoyed if these contests are reduced to the status of Old Maid or any other children's game.

Games/sports are about pitting your wits and/or energies against another person or team or animal (fox hunting), usually with the ultimate aim of winning. We all enjoy a challenge, no matter how small, but whether you use sport, game, or contest, ultimately, they are all just pastimes. (I now anticipate a storm of protest, so I'll get my coat...)

The difference between sport and game comes down to nuance and subtext. Both are technically synonyms, but only in the way that boat and ship are synonyms. There are differences between the terms, but almost all are cultural rather than literal. Here are some specific characteristics:

• Practicallity of Professionalism: Sports in general are activities that someone can engage in full-time as a profitable profession. In contrast, games do not have realistic competition between full-time participants.

• Altheticism: As noted elsewhere, sports tend to require more physical activity, while activities that do not require significant exertion tend to be called games.

• Seriousness of Competition: Sports tend to involve more zero-sum competition with absolutely clear winners and losers, whereas games may be individual or even collaborative.

• Audience Interest: Sports are in general activities which can be enjoyed entirely vicariously, by a passive audience not involved in the contest itself. Games, in contrast, are rarely interesting to watch.

• Implied Maturity: Although it is almost entirely a cultural aspect, calling something a sport marks it as an unquestionably appropriate activity for adults to participate in. Calling it a game instead implies that it is an activity that may not be appropriate for adults, or which is appropriate for children.

Note that each of the above notes are build around "tend", because as with any item of nuance there are sure to be examples which do not fit easily into either category. (For instance, in modern economies you cannot be a full-time hunter.) If none of the above are appropriate, such as an "American Idol" style competition, the word "contest" may be appropriate in lieu of either sport or game.

(Also, be aware that there is a certain degree of historical inertia attached. There are full-time competitors in Starcraft, but the activity is still called a "game".)