athlete

Everyday

1. A person who is good at sports and trains to take part in them. tree →
2. (UK) A person who competes in athletics: running, jumping and throwing events. tree →
3. Athlete's foot: an itchy skin infection between the toes. tree →

In the lessons

In PE and sports stories it names runners, swimmers and players; in maths problems athletes have race times, distances and scores to compare. In health lessons athletes show how exercise, food and rest work together. Phrases: top athlete, professional athlete, Olympic athlete, athlete's foot.

Examples

• The athlete trained every day for the race. tree →
• Olympic athletes come from all over the world. tree →
• She is a natural athlete and good at every sport. tree →
• The three athletes ran 100 m in 12.1, 11.8 and 12.4 seconds; who won? tree →
• Athletes need good sleep and healthy food. tree →
• Dry your feet well to avoid athlete's foot. tree →

Note

Countable. Say ATH-leet (two syllables), not "ath-uh-leet". Adjective: athletic; the sports: athletics (UK) or track and field (US). In maths, the fastest athlete has the smallest time.