Meanings
athletics1
nounathletics pl (plural only)
- UKespeciallypluralplural onlyhobbiesA group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country and racewalking.
- USespeciallypluralplural onlyhobbiesPhysical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness and skill.
The University of Phoenix, a for-profit educational institution, has turned the traditional relationship between athletics and higher education on its head, reducing it to its commercially exploitive essence.
2009 January 17, William C. Rhoden, “University Sells Itself During Playoffs”, in The New York Times
athletics2
noun
- pluralplural of athletic
Athletics3
proper noun
- ball gamesThe team The Oakland Athletics, previously Kansas City Athletics and Philadelphia Athletics.
- UShobbiesNickname for many athletic teams whose full name includes "Athletics".
Synonyms & antonyms
nounan active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
athletics · noun
From athletic: see -ics. Probably formed on the model of gymnastics.
Full word history & related roots →athletics · noun
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian атлѐтика
- атлѐтика (atlètika)(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Catalan atletisme
- atletisme(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Chinese Mandarin 田徑 /田径, 運動 /运动
- 田徑 /田径 (tiánjìng)(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
- 運動 /运动 (yùndòng)(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
- 競技 /竞技 (jìngjì)(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
- 體育 /体育 (tǐyù)(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Czech atletika
- atletika(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Danish friidræt, atletik
- friidræt(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
- atletik(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Dutch atletiek
- atletiek(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Finnish yleisurheilu, urheilu
- yleisurheilu(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
- urheilu(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
French athlétisme, athlétisme
- athlétisme(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
- athlétisme(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
German Athletik
- Athletik(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Hindi खेलकूद, व्यायाम
- खेलकूद (khelkūd)(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
- व्यायाम (vyāyām)(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Hungarian atlétika, sport
- atlétika(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
- sport(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
- sportolás(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Indonesian atletik
- atletik(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
Irish lúthchleas, cleasa lúith
- lúthchleas(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
- cleasa lúith(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
- lúthchleas(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
- lúthchleasaíocht(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Italian atletica
- atletica(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Japanese 陸上競技
- 陸上競技(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
Malay olahraga
- olahraga(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
Māori kaipara
- kaipara(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Norwegian Bokmål friidrett
- friidrett(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Polish lekkoatletyka, atletyka
- lekkoatletyka(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
- atletyka(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Portuguese atletismo
- atletismo(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Romanian atletism
- atletism(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Russian атле́тика
- атле́тика (atlétika)(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Spanish atletismo
- atletismo(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Swahili riadha
- riadha(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Swedish friidrott
- friidrott(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Ukrainian атле́тика, атле́тика
- атле́тика (atlétyka)(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
- атле́тика (atlétyka)(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Welsh athletau, mabolgampau
- athletau(chiefly Britain) a group of sporting activities including track and field, road running, cross country, and racewalking
- mabolgampau(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
- athletau(chiefly US) physical activities such as sports and games requiring stamina, fitness, and skill
Cite this entry
APA
athletics. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/athletics
MLA
“athletics.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/athletics. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “athletics,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/athletics.
Source: athletics on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.