What does "runner-up" mean?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
A "runner-up" sometimes called "runner-up winner," is the team or person that takes second place in a competition. Thus, "first runner-up" means the person who is next after first place, which is second place. Ex: Although I wasn't first place, I won runner-up in the marathon. Ex: The first place and runner-up winner stood together on the podium.