Olympian

[uh-lim-pee-uhn, oh-lim-]

adjective

1. pertaining to Mount Olympus or dwelling thereon, as the gods of classical Greece.

2. pertaining to Olympia in Elis.

3. of, resembling, characteristic of, or suitable to the gods of Olympus; majestic or aloof.

   an Olympian landscape; an Olympian disdain.

noun

1. an Olympian deity.

2. a contender in the Olympic Games.

3. a native or inhabitant of Olympia.

Olympian

/ əˈlɪmpɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Mount Olympus or to the classical Greek gods

2. majestic or godlike in manner or bearing

3. superior to mundane considerations, esp when impractical

4. of or relating to ancient Olympia or its inhabitants

noun

1. a god of Olympus

2. an inhabitant or native of ancient Olympia

3. a competitor in the Olympic Games

Other Word Forms

• Olympianly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of Olympian¹

1585–95; < Late Latin Olympiānus, equivalent to Latin Olympi ( us ) (< Greek Olýmpios, derivative of Ólympos Olympus ) + -ānus -an

Example Sentences

The first is Olympian, polymathic, erudite, antically funny, often beautiful, at times gross, at others incredibly romantic, never afraid to challenge or even confound, and unmistakably worked at.

From Los Angeles Times

Kibet trained in Iten, the high-altitude town famed for producing Olympians and world champions, but in a competitive field he never reached that status.

From BBC

“The Vampire Diaries” actor and the five-time Olympian started dating after formally meeting when both were slated to speak at a 2019 workshop organized by motivational speaker Tony Robbins.

From Los Angeles Times

"And then he went on to be an Olympian, Tour de France winner, and then is finishing his last race here," she added.

From BBC

That means every new season of a show like “With Love, Meghan” offers an Olympian level of insult competition, especially in the U.K. press.

From Salon

Related Words

• angelic 
• divine 
• ethereal 
• immortal 
• otherworldly 
• spiritual 
• sublime 
• supernatural 

When To Use

What does olympian mean?

An olympian is an athlete who competes (or has competed) in the Olympic Games (popularly called the Olympics), an international athletic competition featuring multiple sporting events between athletes representing their country. The word is often capitalized.There are two related but separate events called the Olympics: one hosted in winter, called the Winter Games, and one hosted in summer, called the Summer Games (they are commonly called the Winter Olympics and the Summer Olympics). The Winter Olympics feature winter sports, including figure skating, skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, and many others. The Summer Olympics feature traditionally warm weather and indoor sports, like track and field, gymnastics, swimming, and basketball, among many others.At the Olympics, the Olympians who finish in the top three places in each event are famously awarded Olympic medals: gold for first place, silver for second place, and bronze for third place.Olympians are often considered the best athletes in the world, and winning a medal—or simply being an olympian—is considered one of the peaks of athletic achievement.The modern Olympics are based on an ancient Greek festival and competition that’s also referred to as the Olympic Games, and competitors in these games are also referred to as olympians.Especially when it’s capitalized, the word Olympian can also be used in reference to the gods of Greek mythology, who were believed to inhabit Mount Olympus. It can be used as a noun referring to one of the gods or as an adjective to describe things involving them or resembling them. Sometimes, it’s used more generally to mean about the same thing as majestic.