sportsman

American  

[spawrts-muhn, spohrts-] / ˈspɔrts mən, ˈspoʊrts- /

noun

plural

sportsmen

1. a man who engages in sports, sports, especially in some open-air sport, as hunting, fishing, racing, etc.

2. a person who exhibits qualities especially esteemed in those who engage in sports, sports, as fairness, courtesy, good temper, etc.

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sportsman British  

/ ˈspɔːtsmən /

noun

1. a man who takes part in sports, esp of the outdoor type

2. a person who exhibits qualities highly regarded in sport, such as fairness, generosity, observance of the rules, and good humour when losing

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Gender

See -man.

Other Word Forms

• sportsman-like adjective
• sportsmanlike adjective
• sportsmanliness noun
• sportsmanly adjective
• sportsmanship noun
• unsportsmanlike adjective
• unsportsmanly adjective

Etymology

Origin of sportsman

First recorded in 1700–10; sports + -man

Example Sentences

But becoming an elite sportsman still means starting learning your trade at a very young age, and a lot of personal sacrifices.

From BBC

Uganda’s Idi Amin tried to use boxing and his image as a sportsman to build popularity and distract from his regime’s repression in the 1970s.

From The Wall Street Journal

“A lot of people paint me as a moderate because I’m a sportsman and I have a deer rifle and I go duck hunting and stuff like that.”

From Salon

“For centuries these rugged but elegant athletes have been the pride of Hungarian sportsmen, and their popularity in America increases with each passing year,” according to the American Kennel Club.

From Los Angeles Times

The extreme sportsman was known as "Fearless Felix" for his adventurous stunts.

From BBC