Etymologically
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athleta

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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

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