pentathleten.
/pɛnˈtaθliːt/, U.S. /pɛnˈtæθ(ə)ˌlit/ 1. Ancient History. An athlete who competed in a pentathlon in the ancient Greek and Roman games (see pentathlon n. 1).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > athletics > [noun] > mixed events > competitor
pentathlete1828
1828 E. H. Barker Parriana I. 522 (note) Between Porson and Parr..the difference was as great as between..a pugilist and a pentathlete.
1873 J. A. Symonds Stud. Greek Poets iii. 82 You give all kinds of honours..to runners, boxers, pentathletes, &c.
1928 Classical Rev. 42 72 The Nisyros stele he believes to represent not a discobolus, but a pentathlete.
1996 Oxf. Classical Dict. (ed. 3) 1136/2 Pentathletes would train and compete, especially when long-jumping, to the sound of aulos music.
2. An athlete who competes in a modern pentathlon (see pentathlon n. 2).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > athletics > [noun] > mixed events > competitor > modern
pentathlete1952
decathlete1968
biathlete1972
triathlete1982
heptathlete1983
1952 Times 24 Apr. 8 The team manager is..himself an old Pentathlete.
1968 Guardian 19 Mar. 16/6 Athletes, pentathletes and weightlifters had taken advantage of grants..for altitude training.
1976 Field 26 Aug. 426/3 In saluting the modern pentathletes on 29 July for their Olympic victory, I remarked the difficulties of a team dividing a single solid prize.
1995 M. Garber Vice Versa iii. xv. 348 She catches the eye of pentathlete Tory Skinner..at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.
Derivatives
pentathˈletical adj. rare relating to or characteristic of a pentathlete.
ΚΠ
1975 Times Lit. Suppl. 12 Dec. 1487/1 These figures [of Burne-Jones] are almost always pentathletical types: imposingly tall, long in the thigh, slim and gradual of hip, and very firmly fleshed.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1828