Olympian
Americanadjective
noun
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an Olympian deity.
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a contender in the Olympic Games.
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a native or inhabitant of Olympia.
adjective
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of or relating to Mount Olympus or to the classical Greek gods
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majestic or godlike in manner or bearing
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superior to mundane considerations, esp when impractical
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of or relating to ancient Olympia or its inhabitants
noun
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a god of Olympus
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an inhabitant or native of ancient Olympia
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a competitor in the Olympic Games
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of Olympian
1585–95; < Late Latin Olympiānus, equivalent to Latin Olympi ( us ) (< Greek Olýmpios, derivative of Ólympos Olympus ) + -ānus -an
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:
Few around the weightlifter knew of her elite performance background and few would have even suspected it as the Olympian settled in to a more low-key existence.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
A former US Olympian has been charged with vandalising the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after authorities say he was seen reaching into the water after renovations to the pool.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
Plus, an Olympian is charged with damaging the D.C. reflecting pool, and celebs use special-ops tactics to keep their weddings private.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
A former US Olympian accused of vandalizing Washington's newly renovated Reflecting Pool was charged on Thursday with a felony and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, a federal prosecutor said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
Coach, serious, struts beside us—erect, glowing, looking like the Olympian he once was.
From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
So is this the end of the road for one of Britain's greatest Olympians, or can he turn the tide in time for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028?
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Around 14,000 Olympians per Games are expected to be eligible for the grant.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
Hip-hop legend Flavor Flav is hosting a four-day event celebrating “ALL Female US Olympians and Paralympian medalists” this summer in Las Vegas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026
Maybe, as a few of my younger, smarter colleagues theorized, it’s the phones, which are omnipresent among Olympians, and make their rabbit ears overly attuned to the surrounding chatter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 2026
Mr. Lemoncello, Dr. Zinchenko, and the mayor of Alexandriaville stood on the platform, ready to review the thirty-two Olympians.
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
