athletic
Americanadjective
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physically active and strong; good at athletics or sports.
an athletic child.
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of, like, or befitting an athlete.
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of or relating to athletes; involving the use of physical skills or capabilities, as strength, agility, or stamina: athletic training.
athletic sports;
athletic training.
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for athletics.
an athletic field.
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Psychology. (of a physical type) having a sturdy build or well-proportioned body structure.
adjective
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physically fit or strong; muscular or active
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of, relating to, or suitable for an athlete or for athletics
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of or relating to a person with a muscular and well-proportioned body See also somatotype
Pronunciation
See athlete.
Other Word Forms
- athletically adverb
- athleticism noun
- nonathletic adjective
- nonathletically adverb
- quasi-athletic adjective
- quasi-athletically adverb
- unathletic adjective
- unathletically adverb
Etymology
Origin of athletic
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin āthlēticus, from Greek āthlētikós; athlete, -ic
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.
The sneaker and athletic apparel company on Tuesday posted a fiscal third-quarter profit of $520 million, or 35 cents a share, compared with $794 million, or 54 cents a share, a year earlier.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
For example, it can reduce the benefits of endurance training and negatively affect athletic performance.
From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026
Her campaign leaned heavily on her life story — from her athletic achievement to her personal reinvention — but she failed to keep up with the competition.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
For example, the entire Ohio State University football roster received “around $20 million” in NIL deals in 2024, according to the school’s athletic director, Ross Bjork.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026
Not only athletic ability, but also star power, no pun intended.
From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
