heptathlon

American

[hep-tath-luhn, ‑lon] / hɛpˈtæθ lən, ‑lɒn /

noun

an athletic contest for women comprising seven different track-and-field events and won by the contestant amassing the highest total score.

heptathlon British

/ hɛpˈtæθlɒn /

noun

an athletic contest for women in which each athlete competes in seven different events

"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

Other Word Forms

heptathlete

noun

Etymology

Origin of heptathlon

First recorded in 1985–90; hept- ( def. ) + (dec)athlon

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Heptathlon world champion Johnson-Thompson will also defend her title.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2022

Heptathlon champion Melnichenko's total of 6,586 points was a personal best but it was also the lowest winning score in the history of the world championships.

From Reuters • Aug. 14, 2013

Gareth was there, ferrying javelins, when Jessica Ennis was on her way to winning Heptathlon gold.

From BBC • Aug. 6, 2012

Heptathlon gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee recalls a happy childhood there and still returns occasionally from the West Coast to visit friends.

From Time Magazine Archive

American Heptathlon Record Holder Jane Frederick inexplicably failed at the high jump and was out.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023