decathlon
noun
Did you know?
Decathlon from deca- and athlon, "contest", means "ten contests". The ancient Greek Olympics held five-contest competitions, or pentathlons, that were based on the skills needed in battle. The modern Olympic decathlon, which was born in 1912, consists of the 100-meter run, 400-meter run, 1500-meter run, 110-meter high hurdles, javelin throw, discus throw, shot put, pole vault, high jump, and long jump. The original winner was the legendary Jim Thorpe, who would later be judged the greatest American athlete of the 20th century. And ever since, the Olympic decathlon winner has been called the finest all-around athlete in the world.
Examples of decathlon in a Sentence
Julie Sharp, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
No school in the 53-year history of the decathlon has achieved a perfect score at the national level.
—Marianne Love, Daily News, 28 Apr. 2026
Betz won the 10-event decathlon with a score of 5,484.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Bob Mathias, a two-time Gold Medalist in the decathlon (1948 and 1952), served in the U.S. House of Representatives for California’s 18th congressional district for four terms from 1967 to 1975.
—Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 19 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Decathlon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decathlon. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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decathlon
noun
