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

Over the years, Brewer, as a pro athlete with endorsements, witnessed the transactions involving local Somali immigrants who were attaining wealth. —Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026

Unique snacks are part of a long tradition of athletes experimenting with different refueling options during games. —Sam Jane, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026

This inspirational odyssey centers on an American athlete (Jack O'Connell) whose Olympic dreams are dashed first by World War II and then by a plane crash, culminating in him becoming a Japanese POW. —Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Jan. 2026

Throughout the three-day event, Jeep will advertise through on-site integrations that involve the athletes and snow vehicles. —Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 2 Jan. 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