Trophy vs. Cup: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
A trophy is a decorative award given for sporting, academic, or other achievements, while a cup is a specific type of trophy, often shaped like a large goblet.
Key Differences
A trophy serves as a symbol of achievement in various fields, ranging from sports to academic contests. It is often customized to the event and can take many forms, including statues, plaques, or objects representing the field of competition. Cups, on the other hand, are a specific type of trophy, typically designed as a large, often ornate, goblet. They are commonly associated with sporting victories, particularly in team sports and prestigious events.
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Trophies often carry significant sentimental value, symbolizing personal or team accomplishments. They are treasured as keepsakes and displayed as a testament to success. Cups, while also trophies, are distinguished by their unique goblet-like shape and are often passed down from one winner to the next, especially in recurring competitions, symbolizing a legacy of excellence.
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In terms of design, trophies can vary greatly, embracing creativity and specific themes relevant to the achievement they recognize. They can be made from various materials like metal, glass, or wood. Cups, in contrast, follow a more traditional design, usually made of metals like silver or gold, and their classic goblet shape is recognized globally as a symbol of victory and prestige.
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Nov 29, 2023
The presentation of a trophy is a ceremonial act, often highlighting the end of a competition and the excellence of the winner. Cups, with their iconic shape, are particularly prominent in such ceremonies, sometimes filled with celebratory drinks during the awarding process, adding to the fanfare of the victory celebration.
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In conclusion, while all cups can be considered trophies, not all trophies are cups. Trophies offer a wider range of designs and purposes, accommodating various achievements, while cups maintain a specific, traditional form, predominantly associated with victories in sports and prestigious events.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A decorative award for various achievements.
A specific type of trophy, usually goblet-shaped.
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Associated Fields
Sports, academics, arts, and more.
Mainly sports, especially prestigious competitions.
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Design Variability
Highly varied designs, shapes, and materials.
Traditionally goblet-shaped, often made of metal.
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Symbolic Value
Represents achievement in specific fields.
Symbolizes victory, often in recurring competitions.
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Sentimental Significance
Often kept as personal or team memorabilia.
Sometimes passed down, symbolizing a legacy of winners.
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Trophy and Cup Definitions
Trophy
An emblematic object signifying triumph in a contest.
The trophy for the cooking competition was shaped like a chef's hat.
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Cup
An award given in sports, typically made of metal and resembling a large mug.
The golfer's name was engraved on the cup after his tournament victory.
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Trophy
A physical symbol of achievement in a competition or event.
The athlete proudly displayed the trophy on her mantle.
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Cup
A symbolic vessel often used in recurring sports competitions.
The cup has been passed down to champions for decades.
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Trophy
An award for excellence in a specific field, often artistic or academic.
The novelist received a trophy for her contributions to literature.
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Cup
An ornate, goblet-shaped award for a notable achievement in a competitive event.
The cup, shimmering in silver, awaited the winner of the race.
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Trophy
A decorative item awarded as recognition of superiority in a challenge.
The trophy for the science fair glittered under the auditorium lights.
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Cup
A prestigious award, especially in team sports, signifying the ultimate victory.
The captain was the first to drink from the cup, celebrating their hard-earned victory.
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Trophy
A memento representing personal or team success.
Each team member received a small trophy to commemorate their victory.
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Cup
A small open container, usually with a flat bottom and a handle, used for drinking.
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Trophy
A prize or memento, such as a cup or plaque, received as a symbol of victory, especially in sports.
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Trophy
A specimen or part, such as a lion's head, preserved as a token of a successful hunt.
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Cup
Abbr. c. A unit of capacity or volume equal to 16 tablespoons or 8 fluid ounces (237 milliliters). See Table at measurement.
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Trophy
The spoils of war, dedicated in classical antiquity with an inscription to a deity and set up as a temporary monument on or near a battlefield, placed in an existing temple, or housed in a permanent, new structure.
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Trophy
A similar depiction of a group of other items, such as musical instruments or agricultural implements.
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Trophy
Impressive or ostentatious so as to display one's wealth or status
A trophy home.
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Trophy
An object, usually in the form of a statuette, cup, or shield, awarded for success in a competition or to mark a special achievement.
He won the trophy in a running competition.
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Cup
An athletic supporter having a protective reinforcement of rigid plastic or metal.
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Trophy
An object taken as a prize by a hunter or conqueror, especially one that is displayed.
The set of antlers which hung on the wall was his prized trophy.
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Cup
A sweetened, flavored, usually chilled beverage, especially one made with wine
Claret cup.
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Trophy
Any emblem of success; a status symbol.
His trophies included his second wife, his successful children, the third and fourth homes in Palm Beach and Malibu, and his three yachts.
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Trophy
An object taken by a serial killer or rapist as a memento of the crime.
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Trophy
A display of weaponry and other militaria, often captured from a defeated enemy, as an ornament designed for the purpose of triumphalist display by a victor or as a show of military prowess by a monarch.
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Trophy
An artifact or artwork that has been stolen by a criminal and traded on the black market.
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Trophy
An animal killed by a trophy hunter that usually has its parts sold on the black market.
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Cup
To place one's curved hand or hands over or around
Cupped his chin in his hands.
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Cup
A concave vessel for drinking from, usually made of opaque material (as opposed to a glass) and with a handle.
Pour the tea into the cup.
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Trophy
A sign or memorial of a victory raised on the field of battle, or, in case of a naval victory, on the nearest land. Sometimes trophies were erected in the chief city of the conquered people.
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Cup
The contents of said vessel.
I drank two cups of water but still felt thirsty.
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Trophy
The representation of such a memorial, as on a medal; esp. (Arch.), an ornament representing a group of arms and military weapons, offensive and defensive.
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Trophy
Anything taken from an enemy and preserved as a memorial of victory, as arms, flags, standards, etc.
Around the posts hung helmets, darts, and spears,And captive chariots, axes, shields, and bars,And broken beaks of ships, the trophies of their wars.
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Cup
(US) A US unit of liquid measure equal to 8 fluid ounces (16 of a US gallon; 236.5882365 mL) or 240 mL.
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Trophy
Any evidence or memorial of victory or conquest; as, every redeemed soul is a trophy of grace.
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Cup
(Canada) A Canadian unit of measure equal to 8 imperial ounces (20 imperial gallon; 227.3 mL) or 250 mL.
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Trophy
Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from atropine and certain other alkaloids, as a white crystalline substance slightly soluble in water.
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Cup
A British unit of measure equal to 2 imperial pint (10 imperial ounces; 284 mL) or 300 mL.
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Cup
A trophy in the shape of an oversized cup.
The World Cup is awarded to the winner of a quadrennial football tournament.
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Cup
A contest for which a cup is awarded.
The World Cup is the world's most widely watched sporting event.
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Cup
(association football) The main knockout tournament in a country, organised alongside the league.
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Cup
(golf) A cup-shaped object placed in the target hole.
The ball just misses the cup.
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Cup
(in combination) Any of various sweetened alcoholic drinks.
Cider cup
Gin cup
Claret cup
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Cup
A rigid concave protective covering for the male genitalia.
Players of contact sports are advised to wear a cup.
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Cup
One of the two parts of a brassiere which each cover a breast.
The cups are made of a particularly uncomfortable material.
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Cup
(tarot) A suit of the minor arcana in tarot, or one of the cards from the suit.
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Cup
(ultimate frisbee) A defensive style characterized by a three player near defense cupping the thrower; or those three players.
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Cup
A flexible concave membrane used to temporarily attach a handle or hook to a flat surface by means of suction.
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Cup
A cupping glass or other vessel or instrument used to produce the vacuum in cupping.
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Cup
(figurative) That which is to be received or indured; that which is allotted to one; a portion of blessings and afflictions.
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Cup
(transitive) To form into the shape of a cup, particularly of the hands.
Cup your hands and I'll pour some rice into them.
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Cup
(transitive) To hold something in cupped hands.
He cupped the ball carefully in his hands.
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Cup
(transitive) To pour (a liquid, drink, etc.) into a cup.
We are cupping some new brands of coffee today.
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Cup
To apply a cupping apparatus to; to subject to the operation of cupping.
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Cup
A small vessel, used commonly to drink from; as, a tin cup, a silver cup, a wine cup; especially, in modern times, the pottery or porcelain vessel, commonly with a handle, used with a saucer in drinking tea, coffee, and the like.
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Cup
Repeated potations; social or excessive indulgence in intoxicating drinks; revelry.
Thence from cups to civil broils.
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Cup
That which is to be received or indured; that which is allotted to one; a portion.
O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.
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Cup
Anything shaped like a cup; as, the cup of an acorn, or of a flower.
The cowslip's golden cup no more I see.
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Cup
A cupping glass or other vessel or instrument used to produce the vacuum in cupping.
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Cup
To apply a cupping apparatus to; to subject to the operation of cupping. See Cupping.
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Cup
To make concave or in the form of a cup; as, to cup the end of a screw.
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Cup
The quantity a cup will hold;
He drank a cup of coffee
He borrowed a cup of sugar
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Cup
A small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle;
He put the cup back in the saucer
The handle of the cup was missing
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Cup
A large metal vessel with two handles that is awarded as a trophy to the winner of a competition;
The school kept the cups is a special glass case
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Cup
Any cup-shaped concavity;
Bees filled the waxen cups with honey
He wore a jock strap with a metal cup
The cup of her bra
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Cup
The hole (or metal container in the hole) on a golf green;
He swore as the ball rimmed the cup and rolled away
Put the flag back in the cup
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Cup
A specific type of trophy, usually in the shape of a goblet.
The winning soccer team lifted the cup high in celebration.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can a trophy be in any shape?
Yes, trophies come in many shapes and designs, depending on the event or achievement.
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Are cups used for drinking during celebrations?
Sometimes, especially in sports, cups are used for celebratory drinks.
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Do cups have a standard size?
The size of cups can vary, but they typically resemble a large goblet or mug.
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Do trophies have to be returned?
Some trophies, especially in recurring competitions, are returned; others are kept.
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Can a trophy be personalized?
Yes, trophies are often customized with names, dates, and event details.
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How are cups typically awarded?
Cups are awarded in a ceremonial manner, often at the end of a competition.
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Is there a famous cup in sports?
Yes, many sports have famous cups, like the FIFA World Cup in soccer.
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What is a trophy?
A decorative award given for achievement in various areas like sports, academics, or arts.
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What is a cup in terms of awards?
A cup is a type of trophy, often goblet-shaped, awarded mainly in sports competitions.
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Can anyone receive a trophy?
Trophies are typically awarded to winners or achievers in various competitions.
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Is a cup always made of metal?
Cups are often made of metals like silver or gold, but can also be made of other materials.
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Are trophies only given in sports?
No, trophies are awarded in many fields, including sports, academics, and the arts.
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What materials are used for trophies?
Trophies can be made of metal, glass, wood, and other materials.
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What's the significance of a trophy?
Trophies symbolize achievement, success, and recognition in a specific field.
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Can trophies be made of plastic?
Yes, especially for more informal or youth-related events.
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Can a cup be a family heirloom?
In some cases, cups, especially those with historical value, can become family heirlooms.
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Are cups only awarded in team sports?
Cups are common in team sports but can also be awarded in individual competitions.
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What's the oldest known cup in sports?
Some sports cups date back over a century, with rich histories and traditions.
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Do trophies always include the winner's name?
Often, but not always. It depends on the tradition of the awarding body.
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Is engraving common on cups?
Yes, engraving names or event details on cups is a common practice.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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