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

Athlete, athletic, and athletics, normally pronounced [ath-leet], /ˈæθ lit/, [ath-let-ik], /æθˈlɛt ɪk/, and [ath-let-iks], /æθˈlɛt ɪks/, are heard frequently with an epenthetic schwa, an intrusive unstressed vowel inserted between the first and second syllables: [ath-uh-leet], /ˈæθ əˌlit/, [ath-uh-let-ik], /ˌæθ əˈlɛt ɪk/, and [ath-uh-let-iks]. /ˌæθ əˈlɛt ɪks/. 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 [fil-uhm] /ˈfɪl əm/ for film, [el-uhm] /ˈɛl əm/ for elm, and [ahr-thuh-rahy-tis] /ˌɑr θəˈraɪ tɪs/ for arthritis, rather than the standard [film], /fɪlm/, [elm], /ɛlm/, and [ahr-thrahy-tis]. /ɑrˈθraɪ tɪs/.