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.

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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

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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

He was an exceptional athlete back in elementary school.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Olympic track athlete, helping the 4x400 relay team qualify for the finals in Paris.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Nikita Filippov was the only Russian athlete to win a medal at the Winter Olympics, taking silver in ski mountaineering.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Although he is often compared to Usain Bolt, the research stresses that his speed comes from his own physical and mechanical traits rather than copying another athlete.

From Science Daily • Apr. 8, 2026

Miss Parrish, known to friends as Cassie, was a popular athlete and member of the theatre club at Amoskeag High.

From "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Related Words

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