athlete

American  

[ath-leet] / ˈæθ lit /

noun

1. a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.

---

athlete British  

/ ˈæθliːt /

noun

1. a person trained to compete in sports or exercises involving physical strength, speed, or endurance

2. a person who has a natural aptitude for physical activities

3. 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

Explanation

An athlete is someone who trains for and competes in sporting events, as a professional or just for fun, like an athlete who bowls on a team, runs in local 5K races, or wins a gold medal at the Olympics. The noun athlete comes from the Greek word athletes, meaning “contestant in the games.” Anyone who competes in sporting competitions can be called an athlete, but usually the term is reserved for people with a high level of dedication, skill and fitness. If your income comes from participating in your sport, you are a professional athlete.

Example Sentences

When an athlete is supported to move in a way that suits their structure, their strength profile and their natural rhythm, performance accelerates.

From Science Daily • Apr. 8, 2026

The collaboration follows Reese’s runway debut at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in October, where she was the first professional athlete ever to walk the show.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

An athlete or coach might “throw” a game for personal gain.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

If you run across a professional athlete, pose for a photo standing right next to him, beta-smiling in admiration, and post it on social media.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Because there were so few Muslim women on the professional sports circuit, I was an inspiration for a lot of people, especially as the first professional athlete from the United States who also wears hijab.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Related Words

• animal
• competitor
• contestant
• jock
• player
• professional
• sport