What does "athletic" mean?
A muscular, large–boned person, in the typology of Ernst Kretschmer.
Athletic
adj, noun
adj, noun ·3 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A muscular, large–boned person, in the typology of Ernst Kretschmer.
- Grammar: athletic is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: able-bodied, acrobatic, acrobatic, active.
- Useful contrasts: weak, inactive, out of shape.
- Usage evidence: The athletic meeting went on as scheduled.
How to use "athletic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "athletic" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "athletic" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "athletic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "athletic" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "athletic" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "able-bodied" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "athletic", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A muscular, large–boned person, in the typology of Ernst Kretschmer.
- 2 A player on the team Oakland Athletics.
"Smith became an Athletic as a result of a pre-season trade."
- 3 Short for Athletic Club, a Spanish professional club more often known in English as Athletic Bilbao. abbreviation, alt-of, uncountable
Adjective
- 1 Having to do with athletes. not-comparable
"Are you a member of the American Athletic Association?"
- 2 Physically active.
"Since you're such an athletic person, you may wish to consider joining."
- 3 Having a muscular, well developed body, being in shape.
"You have such an athletic build—you must work out regularly."
- 4 An attribute of a motion or play which requires fine physical ability.
"The center fielder made an athletic play to snatch the ball from over the fence."
- 5 Of a level in a Super Mario game: with an emphasis on platforming challenge, often involving precise jumps between floating platforms above a bottomless pit, and having upbeat background music.
"An athletic course in which Mario must traverse rotating lifts and stretch blocks."
Adjective
- 1 vigorously active wordnet
- 2 having a sturdy and well proportioned body wordnet
- 3 relating to or befitting athletics or athletes wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"The athletic meeting went on as scheduled."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "athletic"?
Common synonyms include: able-bodied, acrobatic, acrobatic, active, active, agonistic.
How do you use "athletic" in a sentence?
The athletic meeting went on as scheduled.
Etymology
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 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”).