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

With an Olympic Games on the horizon, Warner Judd attempted an immediate return to running but soon discovered that her body was not up to the task.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

For an elite athlete who has represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games, running the Boston Marathon in two hours and 43 minutes might not seem like much of an achievement.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

He was a public address announcer for basketball at the 1984 Olympic Games with Michael Jordan the star and did the P.A. for Toluca Little League.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

Tickets for the general public for the LA28 Olympic Games are on sale from April 9 to 19.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

The adjoining racetrack had been torn down, and now more than five hundred companies contracted by the Nazi state were at work preparing the site for the 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