athlete

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A person who actively participates in physical sports, especially with great skill; a sportsperson.

   She's the first athlete in her sport to obtain a corporate sponsor.

2. 2
   noun

   a person trained to compete in sports

3. 3
   noun

   A participant in any of a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country running and racewalking.

4. 4
   noun

   An exceptionally physically fit person.

Etymology

From Middle English athlete, from Latin āthlēta (and probably also partly from Middle French athlete), from Ancient Greek ἀθλητής (athlētḗs), from ἀθλέω (athléō, “compete for a prize”), from ἆθλον (âthlon, “prize”) or ἆθλος (âthlos, “competition”).