modern pentathlon

American

noun

an athletic contest comprising five different events, a 300-meter freestyle swim, a 4,000-meter cross-country run, a 5,000-meter equestrian steeplechase, épée fencing, and pistol target-shooting at 25 meters, the winner being the contestant with the highest total score.

modern pentathlon British

noun

an athletic contest consisting of five different events: horse riding with jumps, fencing with electric épée, freestyle swimming, pistol shooting, and cross-country running

"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

Etymology

Origin of modern pentathlon

First recorded in 1940–45

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:

modern pentathlon

Olympic hub in the Sepulveda Basin officially added 3x3 basketball and modern pentathlon Tuesday to the recreation center that will host BMX and skateboarding.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2025

The final of the modern pentathlon starts with the showjumping at 10:00 BST on Sunday.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2024

Great Britain's defending Olympic champion Kate French has withdrawn from the modern pentathlon final in Paris because of illness.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2024

Nine sports will offer qualification spots for the Olympics - archery, artistic swimming, boxing, breaking, hockey, modern pentathlon, sailing, tennis, and water polo.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 23, 2023

Versailles, once home to Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette, will stage the cross-country part of eventing plus modern pentathlon next year.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 22, 2023

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