athletics

American  

[ath-let-iks] / æθˈlɛt ɪks /

noun

1. (usually used with a plural verb) athletic sports, as running, rowing, or boxing.

2. British. track-and-field events.

3. (usually used with a singular verb) the practice of athletic exercises; the principles of athletic training.

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athletics British  

/ æθˈlɛtɪks /

noun

1. 1. track and field events

   2. ( as modifier )

      an athletics meeting

2. sports or exercises engaged in by athletes

3. the theory or practice of athletic activities and training

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Pronunciation

See athlete.

Etymology

Origin of athletics

First recorded in 1595–1605; see origin at athletic, -ics

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Explanation

Use the noun athletics to talk about sports, including team practice, games, and training. A serious baseball player might choose a college based on its athletics program. In Britain, the word athletics specifically refers to track and field competitions, such as long-distance running, high jump, and javelin. In the US, you can use the word to talk about any kind of sporty activity. The noun athletics comes from the adjective athletic, based on the model of gymnastics. The Greek root is athletes, "prizefighter" or "contestant in the games."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

athletics

The university had long spent more than it brought in, driven by rising athletics costs, pandemic expenses and major legal settlements.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

He would include “protecting athletics funding, football in particular, making new partnerships with Navy to serve the district’s needs, and growing the partnership with law enforcement.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Unlike university sports in most countries, American college athletics is a vast commercial enterprise.

From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026

“I was contributing to Michigan athletics at the time and continued afterward, regardless of the change in head coach,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

In Harlem that power was expressed in muscle, in being someone who wouldn’t take any nonsense or who was good at athletics.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers

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