athletic

adjective

ath·​let·​ic ath-ˈle-tik 

nonstandard

ˌa-thə-ˈle- 

1

: of or relating to athletes or athletics

an athletic scholarship

athletic teams

athletic events

2

a

: characteristic of an athlete

athletic talent

a strong, athletic build

b

: vigorous, active

an athletic lifestyle

c

: active or gifted in sports, games, or exercises

He's not very athletic.

3

: used by athletes

athletic shoes/equipment

the school's athletic fields

4

: mesomorphic

athletically

ath-ˈle-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of athletic in a Sentence

They each received an athletic scholarship to the school.

Students can get discount tickets for all athletic events.

His athletic career spanned three decades.

She has great athletic ability.

She's tall and has an athletic build.

Recent Examples on the Web

Sacramento State had planned to increase its student fee from $181 to $256 per student by the 2027-28 school year and use the money to update the school’s athletic facilities, including for a new football stadium. —Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025

College athletic departments often face a first-mover dilemma, and MásLabor is encountering that same hesitation, compounded, Floyd says, by institutional incentives to maintain the status quo. —Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2025

For women’s sport as an industry, when millions of players worldwide engage with mixed-gender teams as a normal part of gameplay, the cultural implications extend beyond individual gaming experiences and have the potential to reshape perceptions about women’s in-real-life athletic capabilities. —Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025

But the actual athletic goings-on at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center are only part of the draw—the who’s-in-the-stands-with-whom intrigue at the US Open is arguably just as appealing. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see athlete

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing athletic

• athletic supporter
• athletic trainer

Rhymes for athletic

• acetic
• aesthetic
• ascetic
• cosmetic
• diegetic
• eidetic
• emetic
• esthetic
• frenetic
• genetic
• helvetic
• hermetic

Kids Definition

athletic

adjective

ath·​let·​ic ath-ˈlet-ik 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of athletes or athletics

2

: vigorous sense 1, active

3

: strong sense 1, muscular

athletically

-ˈlet-i-k(ə)lē 

adverb

athleticism

ath-ˈlet-ə-ˌsi-zəm

noun

Medical Definition

athletic

adjective

ath·​let·​ic ath-ˈlet-ik 

: characterized by heavy frame, large chest, and powerful muscular development : mesomorphic