Olympics

O-lym-pics · proper noun

imported

Definitions

proper noun

  1. 1.

    The Olympic Games; an international multi-sport competition held every four years, featuring summer and winter events.

  2. 2.

    (historical) The ancient Greek athletic festival held at Olympia from 776 BC to 393 AD.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    Summer Olympics — The games featuring warm-weather sports
  • •
    Winter Olympics — The games featuring snow and ice sports
  • •
    Special Olympics — International sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities
  • •
    Paralympics — Games for athletes with physical disabilities

Related words

See also: Olympic, competition, sports
Synonyms: Olympic Games

Etymology

From Greek Olympia, the sanctuary in Greece where the ancient games were held, named after Mount Olympus, the home of the gods.