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Greek in English

From atoms to democracy, English leans on ancient Greek for the vocabulary of science, thought, and everyday life.

2,729 words · 0 Greek roots

48 words in Sport & Contest

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Acrobat

Sport
ἄκροςákros

“one who walks on tiptoe”

Acrobatics

Sport
ἄκροςákros

“tiptoe-walking”

Aerobics

Sport
ἀήρaḗr

“air life”

Agon

Sport
ἀγώνagṓn

“the gathering, then the contest”

Agonist

Sport
ἀγώνagṓn

“one who competes”

Athleticism

Sport
ἆθλονâthlon

“prize-competing quality”

Athletics

Sport
ἆθλονâthlon

“the business of prize-seekers”

Biathlon

Sport
ἆθλονâthlon

“two contests”

Calisthenics

Sport
κάλλοςkállos

“beautiful strength”

Cardio

Sport
καρδίαkardía

“heart”

Cycling

Sport
κύκλοςkýklos

“going by wheel”

Cyclist

Sport
κύκλοςkýklos

“wheel-person”

Decathlon

Sport
δέκαdéka

“ten contests”

Disc

Sport
δίσκοςdískos

“the thing thrown”

Discus

Sport
δίσκοςdískos

“thing thrown”

Duathlon

Sport
ἆθλονâthlon

“two contests”

Ectomorph

Sport
ἐκτόςektós

“outer form”

Endomorph

Sport
ἔνδονéndon

“inner form”

Ergogenic

Sport
ἔργονérgon

“work producing”

Ergometer

Sport
ἔργονérgon

“work measure”

Gym

Sport
γυμνόςgymnós

“the naked place”

Gymnast

Sport
γυμναστήςgymnastḗs

“one who puts others through exercise”

Gymnastics

Sport
γυμνάζεινgymnázein

“the art of exercising naked”

Heptathlon

Sport
ἑπτάheptá

“seven contests”

Hippodrome

Sport
ἵπποςhíppos

“horse course”

Isokinetic

Sport
ἴσοςísos

“equal-moving”

Isometric

Sport
ἴσοςísos

“equal measure”

Isotonic

Sport
ἴσοςísos

“of equal tension”

Kinesiology

Sport
κίνησιςkínēsis

“study of movement”

Mesomorph

Sport
μέσοςmésos

“middle form”

Olympiad

Sport
ὈλυμπιάςOlympiás

“an Olympia-interval”

Olympian

Sport
ὈλύμπιοςOlýmpios

“belonging to Olympus”

Olympic

Sport
ὈλυμπίαOlympía

“of Olympia”

Paralympian

Sport
παράpará

“one beside the Olympian”

Paralympic

Sport
παράpará

“beside the Olympic”

Pentathlon

Sport
πέντεpénte

“five contests”

Periodization

Sport
περίperí

“a going round”

Physiotherapy

Sport
φύσιςphýsis

“treatment by natural means”

Physique

Sport
φύσιςphýsis

“the natural constitution”

Plyometric

Sport
πλείωνpleíōn

“measurable increase”

Podium

Sport
πόδιονpódion

“little foot”

Somatotype

Sport
σῶμαsôma

“body stamp”

Tetrathlon

Sport
τετρα-tetra-

“four contests”

Toxophilite

Sport
τόξονtóxon

“lover of the bow”

Trapeze

Sport
τράπεζαtrápeza

“little table”

Triathlon

Sport
τρι-tri-

“three contests”

Ultramarathon

Sport
ΜαραθώνMarathṓn

“beyond the fennel field”

Velodrome

Sport
δρόμοςdrómos

“speed-track”