athlete
[ ath-leet ]
/ ˈæθ lit /
noun
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.
QUIZZES
LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!
Are you learning Spanish? Or do you just have an interest in foreign languages? Either way, this quiz on Spanish words for animals is for you.
Question 1 of 13
How do you say “cat” 🐈 in Spanish?
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
pronunciation note for athlete
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/.
OTHER WORDS FROM athlete
non·ath·lete, nounsu·per·ath·lete, nounWords nearby athlete
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for athlete
British Dictionary definitions for athlete
athlete
/ (ˈæθliːt) /
noun
a person trained to compete in sports or exercises involving physical strength, speed, or endurance
a person who has a natural aptitude for physical activities
mainly British a competitor in track and field events
Word Origin for athlete
C18: from Latin via Greek athlētēs, from athlein to compete for a prize, from athlos a contest
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012