Reverse Dictionary: ATHLETE

ADJECTIVES
► GYMNASTIC athletic; physically active → 1785 
► GYMNICAL connected with athletic exercises of the body → 1576 
► LEISH active, nimble, strong and muscular, athletic, supple → 1818 Sc.
► PALAESTRAL ► PALESTRAL athletic; pert. to wrestling or athletics → 1374 
► PALAESTRIAN ► PALESTRIAN athletic; pert. to wrestling or athletics → 1828 
► PALAESTRIC ► PALESTRIC athletic; pert. to wrestling or athletics → 1774 
► PALAESTRICAL ► PALESTRICAL athletic; pert. to wrestling or athletics → 1579 obs.
► RENKY athletic, muscular; large and well-made → 1684 Eng. dial.
► WANDLE agile, athletic, lithe, nimble; strong; healthy; handy → 1808 Sc. & Eng. dial.

NOUNS
► ACTIVITY athletics, physical exercise, gymnastics → 1552 obs.
► EARLY BATH ► EARLY SHOWER an ejection from an athletic contest → 1978 NZ sl.
► GAME an athlete’s style and ability → 1997 US sl.
► GAMING an athletic or musical contest → 1587 obs.
► PALAESTRA ► PALESTRA a place devoted to the public teaching and practice of athletic exercises and wrestling; a gymnasium → 1412 

NOUNS – PERSON
► ACTOR an athlete who is good at pretending he has been hurt or fouled, esp. a baseball player who very convincingly mimes the pain of being hit by a pitch → 2007 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► ANIMAL an athletic or muscular man; esp. a bodyguard or hired thug → 1921 Amer. sl.
► BALLER an athlete; one who plays with footballs, basketballs, baseballs, etc. → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► BALLHEAD an athlete; someone obsessed with ball games; perhaps a stupid one → 1995 US sl. (Bk.)
► CHICK WITH A STICK a girl jock; presumably a reference to softball and field hockey → 20C teen & high school sl.
► DEAD RABBIT a very athletic rowdy fellow → 1859 Amer. sl.
► DOC an athletic coach; used as a title or nickname → 1909 Amer. dial.
► DOG an athlete who lack aggressiveness or spirit in competition → 1934 US sl.
► DROMOMANIAC an athlete → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► FANCY DAN a showy, usually ineffective, athlete → 1927 Amer. sl.
► GAME-PLAYER an athlete → 1587 obs.
► GAMER 1. an athlete; a gamester → 1620 obs.
2. an athlete known for consistently making a strong effort; a player who performs better in actual games than in practices → 1977 colloq.
► GAMESTER an athlete → 1581 obs.
► GAMNER an athlete → 1567 obs.
► GYMNASIARCH a leader among athletes → 1825 
► GYM RAT an athlete; a sports enthusiast; a person who frequents gymnasiums; an exercise fanatic → 1978 Amer. sl.
► HAS-BEEN an aging athlete or entertainer who is no longer in the public’s favour; an out-of-date person → 1702 
► HATCHET MAN a physically aggressive athlete, esp. one who is tasked with roughing up an opponent → 1971 US sl.
► HEPTATHLETE a competitor in a heptathlon, an athletic contest, usually for women, consisting of seven different events → 1983 
► HORSE 1. an athletic or strong fellow → 1808 Amer. sl.
2. a person who works as a member of a ‘stable’, as an athlete → 1925 Amer. sl.
► HOSS an athletic or strong fellow → 1845 Amer. sl.
► JOCK an athlete → 1960 Amer. sl.
► JOCKSTRAPPER an athlete → 1993 sl. (Bk.)
► KEMP a big, strong athlete or warrior; a professional fighter, wrestler, etc.; a champion → 700 
► MONEY PLAYER a professional athlete → 1934 Amer. sl.
► MUDDER an athlete who performs well in rainy conditions → 1942 US sl.
► MUSCLE BOY a fit, athletic young man; a bodybuilder → 1956 US sl.
► MUSCLEHEAD a brawny person, esp. a bodybuilder or a muscular athlete; generally as contrasted with someone having more intellectual interests → 1923 sl., derogatory
► PADJELL a veteran athlete; a seasoned champion runner → 1824 Sc.
► RABBIT EARS an athlete or official who is quick to take offense at teasing → 1967 US sl.
► SACK a second-rate athlete → 1980 African-American & students’ sl.
► SAUSAGE an inferior athlete, esp. one with rippling muscles, as a prize fighter, wrestler, or weight-lifter → 1975 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► THINCLAD a track-and-field athlete → 1940 US sl.
► WALKIST an athlete who takes part in walking-matches; a pedestrian → 1879 sporting sl.

NOUNS – PERSON – OTHER
► HO-DAD ► HO-DADDY a nonparticipant who seeks the company of athletes and performers; a hanger-on → 1960 US surfers’ usage

VERBS
► CAMP to contend in athletic contests → 1774 obs. exc. Eng. dial.