<P> Old French tornement was in use in the 12th century, from a verb tornoier, ultimately Latin tornare "to turn". The same word also gave rise to tornei (modern English tourney, modern French tournoi). The French terms were adopted in English (via Anglo - Norman) by 1300 . </P> <P> The Old French verb in origin meant "to joust, tilt", but it came to refer to the knightly tournament more generally, while joster "approach, meet" became the technical term for jousting specifically (also adopted in English before 1300). </P> <P> By the end of the 12th century, tornement and Latinized torneamentum had become the generic term for all kinds of knightly hastiludes or martial displays . Roger of Hoveden writing in the late 12th century defined torneamentum as "military exercises carried out, not in the knight's spirit of hostility (nullo interveniente odio), but solely for practice and the display of prowess (pro solo exercitio, atque ostentatione virium)." </P> <P> The application of the term tournament to competition in games of skill or sports in general dates to the mid 18th century . </P>

Why were tournaments important competitions for medieval knights