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

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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

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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

“Choose the people, habits, and environments that move you closer to where you want to go.⁠ Send this to a young athlete who needs this reminder today.⁠”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

In addition to filming grill advertisements at the residence, the athlete used a private studio and office space to work on sermons.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026

I was a runner from an early age, and by high school, my identity was almost entirely as a track athlete.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

The mother of Goulding, Sonia Monk, said her late son was an exceptional athlete and a natural leader.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

The Dinka admired him as much as any American sports fans look up to an athlete who scores a touchdown or hits a home run.

From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau

“In partnership with Jean-Georges, we’re building a lifestyle destination that blends world-class dining, holistic wellness, and elevated service—a combination that deeply resonates with globally-recognized athletes, food connoisseurs, and art and culture enthusiasts.”

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026

"During the Games, we also listened carefully to feedback from the athletes who were actually using the facilities and responded promptly with necessary improvements and measures."

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

He isn’t happy to be in front of the media, like so many more “appreciative” athletes posit themselves to be.

From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2026

Over the course of the Games, athletes were bussed to the wrong venues and the North Korean anthem was played for the South Korean men's hockey team.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

Coach Mustilli was running all over advising all of his athletes attending this competition.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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Related Words

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

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