Showing results for heptathlon. Search instead for hexathlon.

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.

See Examples For:

heptathlon

Two-time world champion Johnson-Thompson has never won a European heptathlon title, taking silver in 2018 behind Belgian great Nafissatou Thiam.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

She will begin the second heptathlon session on Friday evening in 10th position, after climbing up the standings with a clearance over 1.83 metres in the high jump.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Katarina Johnson-Thompson ended day one of the heptathlon in 17th position overall but said she was "just happy to be here" after a difficult season dealing with injuries.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Kate O'Connor has won Northern Ireland's first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the heptathlon at Scotstoun Stadium.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

She won multiple gold medals from the Olympics and world championships in the heptathlon and long jump while also setting world records.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026

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