athlete

[ ath-leet ]

noun

1. a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.

athlete

/ ˈæθliːt /

noun

1. a person trained to compete in sports or exercises involving physical strength, speed, or endurance
2. a person who has a natural aptitude for physical activities
3. a competitor in track and field events

Pronunciation Note

Athlete, athletic, and athletics, normally pronounced [ath, -leet], [ath-, let, -ik], and [ath-, let, -iks], are heard frequently with an epenthetic schwa, an intrusive unstressed vowel inserted between the first and second syllables: [ath, -, uh, -leet], [ath-, uh, -, let, -ik], and [ath-, uh, -, let, -iks]. The pronunciations containing the extra syllable are usually considered nonstandard, in spite of their widespread use on radio and television. Pronunciations with similarly intrusive vowels are also heard, though with less currency, for other words, as [fil, -, uh, m] for film, [el, -, uh, m] for elm, and [ahr-th, uh, -, rahy, -tis] for arthritis, rather than the standard [film], [elm], and [ahr-, thrahy, -tis].

Other Words From

• non·athlete noun
• super·athlete noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of athlete¹

1520–30; < Latin āthlēta < Greek āthlētḗs, equivalent to āthlē- (variant stem of āthleîn to contend for a prize, derivative of âthlos a contest) + -tēs suffix of agency

Word History and Origins

Origin of athlete¹

C18: from Latin via Greek athlētēs, from athlein to compete for a prize, from athlos a contest

Example Sentences

Throughout the first 15 years of his coaching career, McVay saw players not only as highly skilled athletes but also as developing men from a variety of backgrounds.

From Los Angeles Times

Arguing that athletes who were born male should not compete with women and girls?

From Salon

“There’s a lot of great students that are also great athletes,” said Ted Donato, a former Harvard coach and briefly a Kings’ winger who has coached the Crimson since 2004.

From Los Angeles Times

Members of the Palestinian militant group Black September had taken 11 Israeli athletes hostage, demanding the release of hundreds of prisoners held in their country’s jails.

From Los Angeles Times

Planning documents show Mr Saverimutto said the gym would give specialist sports and health education to aspiring young athletes aged eight to 18, and include three classrooms and a sensory room.

From BBC

Related Words

• animal
• competitor
• contestant
• jock
• player
• professional
• sport