discus

noun

dis·​cus ˈdi-skəs 

plural discuses

: a heavy disk (as of wood or plastic) that is thicker in the center than at the perimeter and that is hurled for distance as a track-and-field event

also : the event

Illustration of discus

Examples of discus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The first field events of 2026 are a series of high school girls championships, including discus throw, shot put, long jump, high jump and javelin throw. —Alexandra Simon, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026

At the Orange County Championships, Jaslene Massey of Aliso Niguel set records in the girls’ shot put (52-3 1/2) and discus (188-1). —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026

Making the record even more impressive was the revelation in the post-competition weighing of Wilkins’ discus to verify the record that the implement was actually two ounces heavier than the required 4 pounds, 6 ounces weight, a fact that cost Wilkins additional inches, probably feet. —Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026

About 115 student athletes participated in the hurdles, 50-meter sprints, shot put, javelin, discus, high jump, long jump and a 100-meter run — each event tailored to their abilities. —Stephanie Ogilvie, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin discus, borrowed from Greek dískos "discus," in Late Greek also "dish, round mirror, the sun's disk, gong," of uncertain origin

Note: For English loanwords going back to dískos see dais, desk, dish entry 1, and disk entry 1. Greek dískos is generally said to be a derivative of the verb dikeîn "to throw, cast, fling" (aorist only), presumably as a simplification of *dikskos, with a suffix -sk-. P. Chantraine is certain of this in Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque, but less confident in La formation des noms en grec ancien, where this etymology is followed by a question mark (p. 405). Clearly, if such a suffix existed in Greek, the evidence is meager (and the productivity of the diminutive suffix -isko- is not relevant). R. Beekes (Etymological Dictionary of Greek) suggests that the earlier form was *diks-, which together with dikeîn is of non-Indo-European substratal origin, citing Edzard Furnée, Die wichtigsten konsonantischen Erscheinungen des Vorgriechischen (Mouton, 1972), p. 297.

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing discus

• the discus

Rhymes for discus

• viscous
• viscus
• hibiscus
• meniscus

Kids Definition

discus

noun

dis·​cus ˈdis-kəs 

plural discuses

: a heavy disk that is hurled for distance in a track-and-field event

also : the event

Medical Definition

discus

noun

dis·​cus ˈdis-kəs 

plural disci -ˌkī  -kē 

: any of various rounded and flattened anatomical structures