athletics
athletics Lexical Profile
athletics Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American Physical sports, games, and exercises collectively, especially those organized by an educational institution.
"The university invests heavily in both academics and intercollegiate athletics."
British The sport of competing in track and field events, including running races, jumping, and throwing.
"She won two gold medals in athletics at the summer championship."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although plural in form, "athletics" is treated as singular when referring to the general field or discipline (e.g., "athletics is an important part of the curriculum"), and as plural when referring to specific games or organized programs (e.g., "intercollegiate athletics are well funded"). Additionally, in British and Commonwealth English, "athletics" specifically denotes track-and-field events, whereas in American English it encompasses all competitive sports.
• Rhymes for athletics
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the adjective "athletic," which comes via Latin "athleticus" from Ancient Greek "athletikos," from "athletes" (a contestant for a prize) and "athlos" (a contest or feat).