noun
triathlon
try-ATH-luhn/traɪˈæθlən/
A race combining swimming, cycling, and running.
She trains for her first triathlon all summer.
Etymology
“Three” and “contest” name an athletic competition combining three events. The word originally covered various combinations before becoming associated with the swimming, cycling, and running race.
In context
Nick is such a savage. He did a triathlon two weeks before his Strikeforce debut against one of the all-time legends of MMA.
More examples
- The triathlon begins with a swim across the lake.
- He changes from cycling shoes to running shoes during the triathlon.
- Volunteers guide competitors through each stage of the triathlon.
Forms
triathlon · triathlons
Similar words
- decathlon
- An event combining ten disciplines rather than three.
- duathlon
- A duathlon typically combines running and cycling; a triathlon adds swimming.