Olympic Games

American  

plural noun

1. Also called Olympian Games.  the greatest of the games or festivals of ancient Greece, held every four years in the plain of Olympia in Elis, in honor of Zeus.

2.  Olympics.  a modern international sports competition, held once every four years.

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Olympic Games British  

noun

1. the greatest Panhellenic festival, held every fourth year in honour of Zeus at ancient Olympia. From 472 _bc , it consisted of five days of games, sacrifices, and festivities

2. Also called: the Olympics.  the modern revival of these games, consisting of international athletic and sporting contests held every four years in a selected country since their inception in Athens in 1896 See also Winter Olympic Games

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Olympic Games Cultural  

1. Games held in ancient times on the plain of Olympia in Greece every four years. It was a time for laying aside political and religious differences, as athletes from all the Greek cities and districts competed. The games included patriotic and religious rituals as well as athletic contests, and high honors were given to the winners. The Greeks counted their years by olympiads (periods of four years) and dated events from the first Olympics in 776 b.c.

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The Olympic Games deteriorated under Roman rule of Greece and were halted in the fourth century. They were revived in the late nineteenth century, with goals of peace and fellowship modeled on those of the ancient Olympics. The modern Olympics include many athletic events of the original games, such as the discus throw.

Etymology

Origin of Olympic Games

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Olympic Games

This athletics season was set to be the first since the pandemic which did not culminate in an Olympic Games or World Championships.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

It’s worth noting that SoFi was a central location of the World Cup — the first U.S. goal was scored there — and will play host to swimming events in the 2028 Olympic Games.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026

In 2020, Dearing became the first black British woman to represent Team GB in swimming at an Olympic Games, competing in Tokyo.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

The Baltimore-area native won a record 28 medals, including 23 gold, over the course of five Olympic Games.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

The Jesse Owens story had already galvanized much of the nation, driving home what exactly was at stake in these Olympic Games.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown