athlete
Other forms: athletes
An athlete is someone who trains for and competes in sporting events, as a professional or just for fun, like an athlete who bowls on a team, runs in local 5K races, or wins a gold medal at the Olympics.
The noun athlete comes from the Greek word athletes, meaning “contestant in the games.” Anyone who competes in sporting competitions can be called an athlete, but usually the term is reserved for people with a high level of dedication, skill and fitness. If your income comes from participating in your sport, you are a professional athlete.
Definitions of athlete
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a person trained to compete in sportssynonyms: jockexamples:Richard D. FosburyUnited States athlete who revolutionized the high jump by introducing the Fosbury flop in the 1968 Olympics (born in 1947)Robert Bruce MathiasUnited States athlete who won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon (born in 1930)James Cleveland OwensUnited States athlete and Black American whose success in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin outraged Hitler (1913-1980)James Francis Thorpeoutstanding United States athlete (1888-1953)Mildred Ella Didrikson Zahariasoutstanding United States athlete (1914-1956)types:acrobatan athlete who performs acts requiring skill and agility and coordinationamateuran athlete who does not play for payball hawka team athlete who is skilled at stealing or catching the ballclimbersomeone who climbs as a sport; especially someone who climbs mountainscricketeran athlete who plays cricketgymnastan athlete who is skilled in gymnasticshooker(rugby) the player in the middle of the front row of the scrum who tries to capture the ball with the foothurdleran athlete who runs the hurdlesjumperan athlete who competes at jumpinglacrosse playeran athlete who plays lacrosselettermanan athlete who has earned a letter in a school sportOlympianan athlete who participates in the Olympic gamespentathletean athlete who competes in a pentathlonrunnera trained athlete who competes in foot racessharpshooteran athlete noted for accurate aimshot putteran athlete who competes in the shot putskatersomeone who skatesskiersomeone who skissleddersomeone who rides a sledsoccer playeran athlete who plays soccerstrikera forward on a soccer teamreserve, second-stringer, substitutean athlete who plays only when a starter on the team is replacedswimmera trained athlete who participates in swimming meetsswingersomeone who swings sports implementstennis playeran athlete who plays tennispole jumper, pole vaulter, vaulteran athlete who jumps over a high crossbar with the aid of a long polewinger(sports) player in wing positionaerialistan acrobat who performs in the air (as on a rope or trapeze)back(football) a person who plays in the backfieldbackstrokersomeone who swims the backstrokebalanceran acrobat who balances himself in difficult positionsball carrier, runner(football) the player who is carrying (and trying to advance) the ball on an offensive playbase runner, runnera baseball player on the team at bat who is on base (or attempting to reach a base)bench warmer(sports) a substitute who seldom playsblockera football player whose responsibility is to block players attempting to stop an offensive playbowlera cricketer who delivers the ball to the batsman in cricketbreaststrokersomeone who swims the breaststrokecenter(basketball) the person who plays center on a basketball teamcenter(ice hockey) the person who plays center on a hockey teamcircus acrobatan acrobat who performs acrobatic feats in a circuscontortionistan acrobat able to twist into unusual positionscornerbacka defensive football player stationed outside the linebackersdribblera basketball player who is dribbling the ball to advance itdunkera basketball player who is able to make dunk shotsescaladersomeone who gains access by the use of laddersfieldera member of the baseball team that is in the field instead of at batfootball heroa football player who has achieved a reputation for successforwardthe person who plays the position of forward in certain games, such as basketball, soccer, or hockeyfree agent(sports) a professional athlete who is free to sign a contract to play for any teamgoalie, goalkeeper, goaltender, netkeeper, netminderthe soccer or hockey player assigned to protect the goalguardthe person who plays the position of guard on a basketball teamhoppersomeone who hopsice-skatersomeone who engages in ice skatingkickera player who kicks the footballlanglaufera cross-country skierlinemanone of the players on the line of scrimmagelittle leaguera player between 8 and 12 years of age who is a member of a little-league teamlong-distance runner, marathon runner, marathoner, road runnersomeone who participates in long-distance races (especially in marathons)milera runner in a one-mile racepinch hitter(baseball) a substitute for the regular batterpass catcher, pass receiver, receivera football player who catches (or is supposed to catch) a forward passreceiverthe tennis player who receives the serveroller-skatersomeone who engages in roller skatingskateboardersomeone who skates on a skateboardski jumpera skier who leaps through the air (especially on a ski jump)skinny-dippera naked swimmersprintersomeone who runs a short distance at top speedtacklera football player who tackles the ball carriertobogganistsomeone who rides a toboggantumblera gymnast who performs rolls and somersaults and twists etc.utility mana baseball player valued for the ability to play at several positionswicket-keeperstands behind the wicket to catch ballswinga hockey player stationed in a forward position on either sidetype of:contestanta person who participates in competitions
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