Olympiad
Olympiad (noun) means the four-year period between one Olympic Games and the next, or, loosely, the Games themselves. Example: “Historians still argue about which olympiad the ancient records refer to.”
How to use Olympiad
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the four-year gap between Olympics, or a big skills competition styled after the Games.
Word forms
Olympiads plural
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Historians still argue about which _____ the ancient records refer to.
Etymology
From Greek Olympias, the four-year span between Olympic Games, via Latin and French — the academic-contest sense was popularized by the International Mathematical Olympiad in the 20th century.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for Olympiad
See all rhymes for Olympiad →Frequently asked questions
What does “Olympiad” mean?
The word “Olympiad” means the four-year period between one Olympic Games and the next, or, loosely, the Games themselves. In plain terms, either the four-year gap between Olympics, or a big skills competition styled after the Games.
How do you pronounce “Olympiad”?
“Olympiad” is pronounced uh-LIHM-pee-ad (/oʊˈlɪm.pi.æd/ in IPA).
How do you use “Olympiad” in a sentence?
Here is “Olympiad” used in a sentence: “Historians still argue about which olympiad the ancient records refer to.”
What part of speech is “Olympiad”?
“Olympiad” is a noun.
Where does the word “Olympiad” come from?
The word “Olympiad” dates back to around 1900 and comes from Latin. From Greek Olympias, the four-year span between Olympic Games, via Latin and French — the academic-contest sense was popularized by the International Mathematical Olympiad in the 20th century.
How many meanings does “Olympiad” have?
“Olympiad” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the four-year period between one Olympic Games and the next, or, loosely, the Games themselves.
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