paralympics
paralympics Lexical Profile
paralympics Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An international multi-sport competition for elite athletes with physical, visual, or certain intellectual disabilities, held every two years (alternating between summer and winter games) immediately following the Olympic Games in the same host city.
"She trained rigorously for four years before winning a gold medal in wheelchair racing at the Summer Paralympics."
Word Nuance & Usage
The Paralympics are often confused with the Special Olympics; however, the Paralympics are for elite athletes primarily with physical or visual impairments, whereas the Special Olympics are specifically for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
• Rhymes for paralympics
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-20th century, originally as a blend of 'paraplegic' and 'Olympics', before being officially reinterpreted as combining the Greek prefix 'para-' (meaning 'beside' or 'alongside') with 'Olympics' to signify a parallel event to the Olympic Games.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.