athlete
- 01 A2 Elementary
a person who plays sports, especially one who is very skilled or competes professionally.
a person who actively participates in physical sports, often characterized by high levels of skill and competitive engagement.
Simple“The young athlete spent every morning training at the local swimming pool.”
In context“Professional athletes often follow strict dietary and recovery protocols to maintain peak performance throughout the competitive season.”
Synonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
someone who competes in running, jumping, or throwing events.
a participant in track and field events, such as sprinting, long jump, or shot put.
Simple“The Olympic athlete won a gold medal in the hundred-metre sprint.”
In context“The decathlon requires an athlete to demonstrate versatility across ten distinct track and field disciplines over two days.”
UsageIn British English, 'athlete' specifically refers to track and field competitors rather than all sportspeople.
Teacher's tipNote the regional difference: in the US, a basketball player is an athlete, but in the UK, they are usually just called a player.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a person who is very strong, healthy, and good at physical activities.
an individual possessing exceptional physical fitness, strength, or agility, regardless of professional status.
Simple“Even though he doesn't play for a team, he is a natural athlete who excels at any sport he tries.”
In context“She was a natural athlete, possessing the kind of innate coordination and stamina that made difficult physical tasks look effortless.”
Synonyms
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.