athlete
Americannoun
noun
-
a person trained to compete in sports or exercises involving physical strength, speed, or endurance
-
a person who has a natural aptitude for physical activities
-
a competitor in track and field events
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.
He also said that, as an athlete, music is part of his daily regimen, and it is the same with the Ducks.
From Los Angeles Times
“Laura is a tremendous athlete. She’s just a super terrific athlete, and she has really long arms and goes up and gets the ball, so she’s a really good offensive rebounder,” Gottlieb said.
From Los Angeles Times
"Is it absolutely needed for the Games? No. Anything that is public-facing, anything that is media or athletes, will be absolutely top. Do we still have work? Yes."
From Barron's
The seventh in an occasional series of profiles on Southern California athletes who have flourished in their post-playing careers.
From Los Angeles Times
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics officially get under way on Friday, and the Team GB squad bound for Italy have world champions, X Games gold medallists and World Cup podium athletes in their midst.
From BBC
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.
