Reverse Dictionary: ATHLETE

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

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

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1702 — HAS-BEEN an aging athlete or entertainer who is no longer in the public’s favour; an out-of-date person 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

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

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