athletics

American  

[ath-let-iks] / æθˈlɛt ɪks /

noun

1. (usually used with a plural verb) athletic sports, as running, rowing, or boxing.

2. British. track-and-field events.

3. (usually used with a singular verb) the practice of athletic exercises; the principles of athletic training.

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athletics British  

/ æθˈlɛtɪks /

noun

1. 1. track and field events

   2. ( as modifier )

      an athletics meeting

2. sports or exercises engaged in by athletes

3. the theory or practice of athletic activities and training

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Pronunciation

See athlete.

Etymology

Origin of athletics

First recorded in 1595–1605; see origin at athletic, -ics

Explanation

Use the noun athletics to talk about sports, including team practice, games, and training. A serious baseball player might choose a college based on its athletics program. In Britain, the word athletics specifically refers to track and field competitions, such as long-distance running, high jump, and javelin. In the US, you can use the word to talk about any kind of sporty activity. The noun athletics comes from the adjective athletic, based on the model of gymnastics. The Greek root is athletes, "prizefighter" or "contestant in the games."

Example Sentences

Hernandez will compete in the Southern Section finals next weekend with the goal of closing her high school athletics career in three weeks at the state track and field championships in Clovis.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

I self-consciously went because their athletics were crappy enough that I could make a team.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Other sports have made accommodations for female body types, such as lower sprint hurdles in athletics or lighter and smaller basketballs.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Most transgender students simply want the chance to belong, to be part of a team, and to experience the social, emotional, and physical benefits of school athletics.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

In Harlem that power was expressed in muscle, in being someone who wouldn’t take any nonsense or who was good at athletics.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers