athlete

noun

ath·​lete ˈath-ˌlēt 

nonstandard

ˈa-thə-ˌlēt 

1

: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

2

: an animal (such as a horse or a dog) that competes in races or other sporting events or has qualities (such as stamina and agility) suggestive of a human athlete

Hospice working dogs were wiry, muscular, agile, yellowish-tan or brown athletes with unexaggerated heads …

—Deborah Lawson

Examples of athlete in a Sentence

Athletes from around the world will be competing at the Olympics.

She was quite an athlete as a child.

Recent Examples on the Web

The professionalization of college athletics goes well beyond athlete compensation. —Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 22 May 2025

The trans athlete reportedly won 14 straight games heading into the playoffs and earned first-team All-State honors rocked the state in recent weeks. —Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 May 2025

The school board did not address the public comments, and no item was on the agenda related to its policies regarding transgender athletes. —Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025

Pumped to be the cover athlete of MLB Clutch Hit Baseball 2025! —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 21 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin athleta, from Greek athlētēs, from athlein to contend for a prize, from athlon prize, contest

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing athlete

• athlete's foot

Rhymes for athlete

• amit
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete
• crabmeat

Kids Definition

athlete

noun

ath·​lete ˈath-ˌlēt 

: a person who is trained in or good at games and exercises that require physical skill, endurance, and strength