athlete

athlete
\ \ [18] The etymological idea underlying athlete is ‘competing for a prize’. Greek āthlon meant ‘award, prize’, whence the verb athlein ‘compete for a prize’. Derived from this was the noun athlētés ‘competitor’. The context in which the word was most commonly used in Greek was that of the public games, where competitors took part in races, boxing matches, etc. Hence the gradual narrowing down of the meaning of athlete to ‘one who takes part in sports involving physical exercise’, and even further to ‘participant in track and field events’.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • athlète — [ atlɛt ] n. • 1327, répandu XVIe; lat. athleta, gr. athlêtes, de athlos « combat » 1 ♦ N. m. Antiq. Celui qui combattait dans les jeux publics, et par ext. Celui qui s adonnait aux services gymniques (lutte, course, saut …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Athlete EP — Album par Athlete Sortie 4 mars 2002 (Royaume Uni) Enregistrement 2001 2002 Genre Britpop Producteur Victor Van Vugt, Bird Bush et Athlete …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Athlete — Основная информация Жанры Рок Инди рок …   Википедия

  • athlète — ATHLÈTE. s. mas. C étoit chez les anciens Grecs, Celui qui combattoit dans les Jeux solennels de la Grèce. Un puissant Athlète. Un Athlète robuste. Combat d Athlètes. f♛/b] Il se dit figurément Des hommes forts et robustes, adroits aux exercices… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • athlete — ATHLETE. s. m. C estoit chez les Grecs & chez les Romains, celuy qui combattoit pour le prix dans les jeux publics. Puissant, robuste athlete. Il se dit figurement des hommes forts, robustes, adroits aux exercices du corps. C est un vray Athlete …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • ATHLETE — ATHLETE. ATHLETE (All Terrain Hex Limbed Extra Terrestrial Explorer) es un proyecto de robot para realizar funciones de transporte de carga (hasta 450 kg), montaje, mantenimiento y servicio sobre la superficie lunar. Está formado por seis… …   Wikipedia Español

  • athlete — early 15c., from L. athleta a wrestler, athlete, combatant in public games, from Gk. athletes prizefighter, contestant in the games, agent noun from athlein to contest for a prize, related to athlos a contest and athlon a prize, of unknown origin …   Etymology dictionary

  • athlete — athlete, gymnast agree in denoting a person skilled in physical performance requiring agility, powers of endurance, and, often, muscular strength. Athlete also usually implies the status of a contender in games or in sports involving a contest,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Athlete — Athlete …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Athlete — Ath lete, n. [L. athleta, Gr. ? prizefighter, fr. ? to contend for a prize, ?, Hom. ?, contest, ? prize; fr. the same root as E. wed: cf. F. athl[ e]te.] 1. (Antiq.) One who contended for a prize in the public games of ancient Greece or Rome.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • athlete — [n] person involved in sports amateur, animal, challenger, competitor, contender, contestant, games player, gorilla*, iron person*, jock, jockey, muscle person*, player, professional, shoulders, sport, sportsperson, superjock*; concept 366 …   New thesaurus

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