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

Example Sentences

Several reports claim that the athlete poured a lot of money into modernizing the pad, which is located in his homeland.

From MarketWatch

Of those on board the flight, 28 were athletes, coaches, or parents connected to US figure skating.

From BBC

Between the 16 athletes representing the team in Milan, there are three reigning world champions.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s true, some of the world’s top CEOs and elite athletes swear by early rising.

From The Wall Street Journal

His mother also was an athlete at West Virginia Tech.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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