athleta

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [aːtʰˈɫeː.ta]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [atˈlɛː.ta]^[1]

Forms

āthlēta m (genitive āthlētae); first declension^[1] Statius has the Greek nominative athlētēs.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀθλητής (athlētḗs, “competitor, champion”), from ἀθλέω (athléō, “to compete for a prize”), from ἆθλος (âthlos, “contest”) or ἆθλον (âthlon, “prize”).^[3][1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Varro.^[3] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC and has Cicero first.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was a competitor in the public games, an athlete or wrestler, as in Cicero, and with a genitive an expert, an old hand at something, as in Varro.^[3][6]

In Christian Latin athlēta Christī was a champion of the faith, a martyr.^[7][8] British Medieval Latin used it for an athlete, a wrestler, a champion and a martyr.^[9] English athlete is first recorded in the early 15th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it.^[3][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of competitors in the games.^[6][5]
• early 15th century – English athlete is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A competitor in public games, an athlete, wrestler.^[3][6]
2. An expert, old hand.^[3]
3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A champion of the faith, martyr.^[7][8]

Word family

• āthlēticus

Related words

• English athlete

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press