athlete

American  

[ath-leet] / ˈæθ lit /

noun

• athletes
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• nonathlete
  noun
• superathlete
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• athletes
  plural

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

See Examples For:

athlete athletes

Persistence and commitment to keep grinding are terrific qualities for any athlete, and that’s what former All-City Section quarterback Diego Montes from Granada Hills Kennedy High showed in his pursuit to join UCLA’s football program.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

In the race between athlete and time, there is only ever one winner.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

Pogacar may be a dominant athlete with an offbeat, silly side—look at his Bee Gees inflected “Stayin’ Alive” social-media post from his hospital bed—he’s as vulnerable as anyone else.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

"Both as head of state and a successful athlete, he was an outstanding representative of his country. He gave 'All for Norway'," Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf said, referring to Harald's royal motto.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

At school, he stood out for not only being the best sertanista, or frontiersman, but also as a good athlete.

From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple

The championships in Hungary start on 11 September, where athletes will compete for a top prize of £111,000.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

Previously, only the truly famous – actors, rock stars, pro athletes – were at risk of experiencing the anxiety of public scrutiny.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

However, there were fewer colds for athletes and army personnel.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026

The crux of the players’ argument is that they were missing an opportunity—and a payday—afforded to athletes before and after them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Gymnastics wasn’t like soccer or swimming or track and field, where athletes could qualify multiple times.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

Related Words

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