Origin: Germanic Old English suffix
Championship has 4 different meanings across 1 category:
a competition at which a champion is chosen
"The entire town gathered to watch the championship, knowing that whoever won the final match would be crowned the new champion."
the act of providing approval and support
"his vigorous backing of the conservatives got him in trouble with progressives"
A competition to determine a champion, especially the final of a series of competitions.
"The entire town gathered in the stadium to watch the championship match decide who would hold the trophy next year."
In plain English: A championship is a title given to the winner of a major competition.
"The local football team won the championship after a thrilling final match."
Usage: Use "championship" to refer to the entire tournament or the title won by the winner, not just the final match itself. For example, you can win a championship through a series of games without necessarily playing in the decisive final round.
The word championship is formed by adding the suffix -ship to champion. It entered English as a straightforward compound meaning the status or title of being a champion.