Olympic Games

a. (used with a pl. verb) A group of modern international athletic contests held as separate winter and summer competitions every four years in a different city. In 1994 the winter games were moved ahead two years so that the winter and summer games would alternate every two years.

b. (used with a sing. verb) The set of contests that occur in one season: an Olympic Games that was boycotted by many countries.

2. (used with a pl. verb) A Pan-Hellenic festival in ancient Greece consisting of athletic games and contests of choral poetry and dance, first celebrated in 776 bc and held periodically until ad 393 on the plain of Olympia in honor of the Olympian Zeus. In this sense, also called Olympian Games; In all senses, also called Olympics.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Olympic Games

n (functioning as singular or plural)

1. (Historical Terms) the greatest Panhellenic festival, held every fourth year in honour of Zeus at ancient Olympia. From 472 bc, it consisted of five days of games, sacrifices, and festivities

2. (General Sporting Terms) Also called: the Olympics the modern revival of these games, consisting of international athletic and sporting contests held every four years in a selected country since their inception in Athens in 1896. See also Winter Olympic Games

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Olym′pic Games′

n.pl.

1. Also, Olym′pian Games′. the greatest of the national festivals of ancient Greece, held every four years on the plain of Olympia in Elis.

2. a modern international sports competition traditionally held every four years but, after 1992, with Summer Games and Winter Games alternating every two years.

[1600–10]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	Olympic Games - the modern revival of the ancient games held once every 4 years in a selected country Olympics, Olympiad athletic competition, athletic contest, athletics - a contest between athletes Winter Olympic Games, Winter Olympics - an Olympics for winter sports
	2.	Olympic Games - the ancient Panhellenic celebration at Olympia in honor of Zeus; held every 4 years beginning in 776 BC Olympian Games agon - a festivity in ancient Greece at which competitors contended for prizes

Translations

olympijské hry

Olympische Spiele Olympiade

Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες

Olimpiaj ludoj

Juegos Olímpicos

Nüüdisaegsed olümpiamängud

olympiakisatOlympialaiset

Jeux Olympiques

ओलम्पिक खेल

olimpiai játékok

Jocos Olympic

Ólympíuleikarnir

オリンピックオリンピック競技大会

Olympia (certamina)

ഒളിമ്പിക്സ്

Olympische Spelen

Olympiske leker

Igrzyska olimpijskie

Jogos Olímpicos

Olympijské hry

Olimpijske igre

Олимпијске игре

Olympiska Spelen

Michezo ya Olimpiki

กีฬาโอลิมปิก

Олімпійські ігри

Thế vận hội

Olympic Games

npl the Olympic Games → i giochi mpl olimpici

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

This man was very fond of Diocles, a victor in the Olympic games, and when he left his country from a disgust at an improper passion which his mother Alithoe had entertained for him, and settled at Thebes, Philolaus followed him, where they both died, and where they still show their tombs placed in view of each other, but so disposed, that one of them looks towards Corinth, the other does not; the reason they give for this is, that Diodes, from his detestation of his mother's passion, would have his tomb so placed that no one could see Corinth from it; but Philolaus chose that it might be seen from his: and this was the cause of their living at Thebes.

View in context

But a milk cart rattled noisily across the distant perspective; a butcher boy, driving with the noble recklessness of a charioteer at Olympic Games, dashed round the corner sitting high above a pair of red wheels.

View in context

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Southeast Asia eCommerce leader Lazada Group yesterday activated its Olympic Games partnership as part of the IOC's long-term partnership with Alibaba Group.

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QNA Doha The Duhail Complex will against host the Asian qualifiers for the Olympic Games from October 17 to 27.

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"We are taking note that both are very much interested in having some joined actions in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 with a joined march and some unified teams in different sports," IOC President Thomas Bach said.The IOC said the two countries had officially requested to enter joint teams in the qualifying process for four sports women's basketball, women's hockey, the judo mixed team event and some men's and women's rowing teams.

North, South Korea eye joint march, teams for Tokyo 2020

LAHORE -- Takahiro Tamura, Special Assistant for Southwest Asia , Embassy of Japan on Friday visited the Olympic House and shared the ideas and values of TOKYO Olympic Games, 2020.Lt.

Special assistant Japan embassy visits POA

Azerbaijani gymnast Yelizaveta Lusan is proud that she has represented Azerbaijan at the 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, as the athlete told Trend Oct.

Gymnast Yelizaveta Luzan wins gold, dedicates it to Azerbaijan, AGF

Summary: New Delhi [India], Oct 21 (ANI): The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Sunday felicitated all the medal winners of the recently-concluded third edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games.

IOA felicitates Youth Olympic Games medallists

It's the second friendly match between both Arab teams in their preparations for the 2019 U-23 AFCON, which qualifies for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. The first game ended by a victory for the Pharaohs 2-1 at Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida, Algeria.

Egyptian Olympic team stuns Algeria 1-0