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

Fighters and most athletes are always looking to gain an edge, and rehydration to a bigger size is seen as an edge. —Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026

Walking alongside local student-athletes, the rookies spent the afternoon learning about the neighborhood's rich history, its cultural impact, and the generations of Black leaders who shaped it. —Jaelen Gilkey, CBS News, 20 June 2026

Severe storms, flash flooding and extreme heat are battering parts of the Plains, Midwest and the South this weekend, threatening to disrupt World Cup fans, athletes and holiday travelers alike. —Denise Chow, NBC news, 20 June 2026

For these young athletes training just a short commute from the FIFA NY/NJ Stadium, the sport is an outlet for big dreams and big emotions. —Jasmine Garsd, NPR, 20 June 2026

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