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Synonyms

athlete

American  
[ath-leet] / ˈæθ lit /

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 British  
/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Pronunciation

Athlete, athletic, and athletics, normally pronounced , , and , are heard frequently with an epenthetic schwa, an intrusive unstressed vowel inserted between the first and second syllables: , , and . 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 for film, for elm, and for arthritis, rather than the standard , , and .

Other Word Forms

  • nonathlete noun
  • superathlete noun

Etymology

Origin of athlete

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For the first time in 28 years, no athlete has been found to have taken a banned substance at an Olympics - at least so far.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

"The investigations were launched due to the immense media storm around the case, solely because of the involvement of the defendant, who is a world-renowned athlete," Neymar's legal team said.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

It was previously revealed that the Hollywood star turned athlete was issued notice by his landlord on Dec. 18, 2025, informing him that he had three days to either pay rent or vacate the premises.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

As a lifelong athlete, he put a lot of thought into the gym at the Rancho Santa Fe house, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

I could use my personal experiences as an athlete to train and inspire this younger generation, truly making a difference in their lives, including in the life of my sister Faizah.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.