decathlon
de·cath·lon
noun \di-ˈkath-lən, -ˌlän, -ˈka-thə-\Definition of DECATHLON
: a 10-event athletic contest; specifically : a composite contest that consists of the 100-meter, 400-meter, and 1500-meter runs, the 110-meter high hurdles, the javelin and discus throws, shot put, pole vault, high jump, and long jump
Origin of DECATHLON
French décathlon, from déca- deca- + -athlon (as in pentathlon)
First Known Use: 1912
Rhymes with DECATHLON
decathlon
noun (Concise Encyclopedia)Composite athletic contest that consists of 10 different track-and-field competitions: the 100-, 400-, and 1,500-m runs, the 110-m high hurdles, the javelin and discus throws, shot put, pole vault, high jump, and long jump. Introduced as a three-day event at the 1912 Olympic Games, it later became a two-day event. Competitors are scored according to a table established by the International Amateur Athletic Federation. Decathletes are often regarded as the finest all-around athletes in the world.
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