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

professional athletes

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

Then again, Rioux is only the second-tallest athlete to visit San Diego this year. —Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2025

Either way, Thursday marks a great chance to revisit the lore of a young Mahomes, from his ridiculous high school run to his child-athlete prodigy days. —Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 27 Nov. 2025

In the second photo, Towns, who has been dating Jordyn Woods since 2020, was seen having a discussion with Brady on the hardwood while each athlete held basketballs. —Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025

Her deep muscle architecture resembled that of a much younger person, similar to athletes tested for performance. —Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 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