sportsman

noun

sports·​man ˈspȯrts-mən 

1

: a person who engages in sports (such as hunting or fishing)

2

: a person who shows sportsmanship

sportsmanlike

ˈspȯrts-mən-ˌlīk 

adjective

sportsmanly

ˈspȯrts-mən-lē 

adjective

Examples of sportsman in a Sentence

He was a keen sportsman all his life.

Recent Examples on the Web

Could the stadiums, ballparks, and venues of the future become luxury-only environments exclusively for corporate sportsmen? —John Seabrook, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025

Published in 1939, Rogue Male follows an unnamed English sportsman who attempts to assassinate a European dictator, strongly implied to be Adolf Hitler. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 Nov. 2025

These programs also support Arkansas' outdoor economy, which about 350,000 sportsmen and women participate in annually. —Arkansas Online, 24 Nov. 2025

After her first husband’s death, Annie Laurie married Russell Barnett Aitken, a sculptor, writer, sportsman, and all-around Renaissance character. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sportsman

• sportsmen

Kids Definition

sportsman

noun

sports·​man ˈspō(ə)rt-smən 

ˈspȯ(ə)rt-

1

: a person who engages in or is interested in sports and especially outdoor sports

2

: sport entry 2 sense 3

sportsmanlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

sportsmanly

-lē 

adjective