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Pentathlon: meaning, definitions and examples

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pentathlon

 

[ pɛnˈtæθ.lən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

sport competition

A pentathlon is a sporting event that comprises five different disciplines, typically including fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, and a combined event of pistol shooting and cross country running. It is designed to test a range of athletic skills and has its roots in ancient Greek sports. The modern pentathlon was included in the Olympic Games starting in 1912.

Synonyms

five-event competition, multi-sport event

Examples of usage

  • The athlete trained hard for the upcoming pentathlon.
  • She excelled in fencing during the pentathlon competition.
  • The modern pentathlon requires diverse skills.
  • He won a medal in the pentathlon at the Olympics.

Translations

Translations of the word "pentathlon" in other languages:

🇵🇹 pentatlo

🇮🇳 पेंटैथलॉन

🇩🇪 Pentathlon

🇮🇩 pentathlon

🇺🇦 пентатлон

🇵🇱 pentathlon

🇯🇵 ペンタスロン

🇫🇷 pentathlon

🇪🇸 pentatlón

🇹🇷 pentatlon

🇰🇷 펜타슬론

🇸🇦 خماسي

🇨🇿 pětiboj

🇸🇰 pätiboj

🇨🇳 五项全能

🇸🇮 petoboj

🇮🇸 fimmþraut

🇰🇿 пентаathlon

🇬🇪 პენტათლონი

🇦🇿 pentatlon

🇲🇽 pentatlón

Word origin

The term 'pentathlon' comes from the Greek word 'pentathlon', which is a combination of 'penta-' meaning five, and 'athlon', meaning contest or struggle. The original pentathlon in ancient Greece consisted of five events: the discus throw, the javelin throw, the long jump, the stadion footrace, and wrestling. It was designed to showcase the versatility of athletes, emphasizing strength, speed, and skill. The modern pentathlon was created in the early 20th century by the founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who aimed to reflect the skills of a soldier and included fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, and a combined running and shooting event. Since its introduction to the Olympics, it has evolved but retains its core idea of a diverse athletic challenge.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,657, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.