Olympian

[uh-lim-pee-uhn, oh-lim-]

adjective

1. pertaining to Mount Olympus or dwelling thereon, as the gods of classical Greece.

2. pertaining to Olympia in Elis.

3. of, resembling, characteristic of, or suitable to the gods of Olympus; majestic or aloof.

   an Olympian landscape; an Olympian disdain.

noun

1. an Olympian deity.

2. a contender in the Olympic Games.

3. a native or inhabitant of Olympia.

Olympian

/ əˈlɪmpɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Mount Olympus or to the classical Greek gods

2. majestic or godlike in manner or bearing

3. superior to mundane considerations, esp when impractical

4. of or relating to ancient Olympia or its inhabitants

noun

1. a god of Olympus

2. an inhabitant or native of ancient Olympia

3. a competitor in the Olympic Games

Other Word Forms

• Olympianly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of Olympian¹

1585–95; < Late Latin Olympiānus, equivalent to Latin Olympi ( us ) (< Greek Olýmpios, derivative of Ólympos Olympus ) + -ānus -an

Example Sentences

As she racked up titles as a teenager, Team GB had Tiah-Mai on its radar as a future Olympian.

Read more on BBC

Two-time Olympian Lee, meanwhile, made her fashion show debut as part of the segment dedicated to VS’ Pink line, sporting short shorts and a pink hoodie adorned with miniature wings.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Olympian and former Nike athlete who has been critical of the brand, called Kipyegon a “true prodigy,” but thought that fixating on 4 minutes was misguided.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Ingebrigtsen is the fifth of seven children, three of whom became Olympians.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And it turns out she is still fast: The 2016 Olympian and American record-holder in the 1,500 meters is racing in this weekend’s U.S. indoor track and field championships.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• angelic 
• divine 
• ethereal 
• immortal 
• otherworldly 
• spiritual 
• sublime 
• supernatural 

When To Use

What does olympian mean?

An olympian is an athlete who competes (or has competed) in the Olympic Games (popularly called the Olympics), an international athletic competition featuring multiple sporting events between athletes representing their country. The word is often capitalized.There are two related but separate events called the Olympics: one hosted in winter, called the Winter Games, and one hosted in summer, called the Summer Games (they are commonly called the Winter Olympics and the Summer Olympics). The Winter Olympics feature winter sports, including figure skating, skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, and many others. The Summer Olympics feature traditionally warm weather and indoor sports, like track and field, gymnastics, swimming, and basketball, among many others.At the Olympics, the Olympians who finish in the top three places in each event are famously awarded Olympic medals: gold for first place, silver for second place, and bronze for third place.Olympians are often considered the best athletes in the world, and winning a medal—or simply being an olympian—is considered one of the peaks of athletic achievement.The modern Olympics are based on an ancient Greek festival and competition that’s also referred to as the Olympic Games, and competitors in these games are also referred to as olympians.Especially when it’s capitalized, the word Olympian can also be used in reference to the gods of Greek mythology, who were believed to inhabit Mount Olympus. It can be used as a noun referring to one of the gods or as an adjective to describe things involving them or resembling them. Sometimes, it’s used more generally to mean about the same thing as majestic.