This term was coined by Professor Woodie
Flowers for the FIRST robotics competition. The
definition has never been precisely outlined, but it's connotation is widely understood and
may be summarized as this: "Competition for the sake not of destroying one another, but for the sake of bettering and improving both competitors as a result of the competition."
Lending a spare part to an opponent in order to
keep them from forfeiting a match is a
prime example of gracious professionalism.