athleticism

American  

[ath-let-uh-siz-uhm] / æθˈlɛt əˌsɪz əm /

noun

• athleticisms
  plural

1. a high degree of natural talent, strength, or enthusiasm in physical sports or exercises.

   Yoga should be accessible to all people regardless of body type, level of athleticism, or age.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• athleticisms
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of athleticism

athletic ( def. ) + -ism ( def. )

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Explanation

Athleticism is the quality of having the kind of strength and energy that makes a great athlete. It takes athleticism to run marathons, play pro football, or sprint down a cobblestone street in high heels without falling. Athleticism might get you a basketball scholarship to college or help you win most of the tennis matches you play. When you're particularly good at a sport, people will praise your athleticism. Although it’s usually used with sports, athleticism can describe any quality of strength and energy. It takes musical athleticism to play Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit on piano. The word is rooted in the Greek athlētēs, "prizefighter or contestant in the games."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

athleticism athleticisms

In Wuhan, her consistent hitting from the baseline, supreme athleticism and level-headedness were the keys to her success.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

“Mighty Mary,” which is currently playing in theaters before making its way to streaming, vividly renders the athleticism and teamwork required to compete in a dangerous sport.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Whereas some players compensate for age with craft and guile, he has simply tapped back into the power and athleticism that made him great in the first place.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

AEW President Tony Khan said he "defined excellence" as a husband, friend and in his wrestling knowledge, skill and "unprecedented athleticism".

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

It needed also a sort of athleticism of mind, an ability at one moment to make the most delicate use of logic and at the next to be unconscious of the crudest logical errors.

From "1984" by George Orwell

“We’re very grounded. And adding a little Fred Astaire class on top of the gritty athleticisms, to combine it with the complete opposite, is confusing to the eye and that’s what makes it interesting.”

From Washington Post ● May 26, 2015

If the climate of England is as little favorable to a strenuous intellectual life as it is to strenuous athleticisms, the climate of Oxford is the climate of England to the nth power.

From An American at Oxford by John Corbin

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