Olympiad
uh-LIHM-pee-ad
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.”
noun
1
The four-year period between one Olympic Games and the next, or, loosely, the Games themselves.
"Historians still argue about which olympiad the ancient records refer to."
"The 2024 Games marked another modern olympiad."
2
A large competition modeled on the Olympics, especially an academic contest held every few years, such as the International Mathematical Olympiad.
"She won a gold medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad."
"Thousands of students compete in the national coding olympiad each year."
How to use Olympiad
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the four-year gap between Olympics, or a big skills competition styled after the Games.
Common pairings
Mathematical Olympiad
compete in the olympiad
win the olympiad
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Word forms
- Plural
- Olympiads
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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.
Class of 1900
Olympiad joined the language around 1900.
See the full Class of 1900 →
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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