NYT Dictionary

ATHLETIC

/æθˈlɛt.ɪk/
AdjectiveNounath-LET-icath-let-ic · 3 syllablesGrade 6

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2022, 2026

Meaning

Having to do with athletes.

Etymology

Origin: Latin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂weh₁-der. Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-tromder. Ancient Greek ἆθλον (âthlon) Ancient Greek ᾱ̓θλέω (āthléō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek ἀθλητής (athlētḗs) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós) Ancient Greek ᾱ̓θλητῐκός (āthlētĭkós)bor. Latin āthlēticuslbor. Middle French athletiquebor. English athletic Borrowed from Middle French athletique and Latin āthlēticus, from Ancient Greek ἀθλητικός (athlētikós, “relating to an athlete”), from ἀθλητής (athlētḗs, “athlete”): equivalent to athlete + -ic. For more, see athlete. The Super Mario sense is effectively a reborrowing of Japanese アスレチック (asurechikku, “obstacle course”), originally borrowed from English athletic; this sense was itself originally a clipping of the genericized wasei eigo trademark フィールドアスレチック (fīrudo asurechikku, “Field Athletic”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

acrobaticgymnasticactiveagonisticbrawnyburlyenergeticmuscularpalaestralsinewy

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle, including a pangram:

Join the Spelling Bee Community

Get solving strategies, rare word lists, and puzzle tips in your inbox every week.