decathlon

noun

Etymology: From dec- + -athlon, coined for the 1912 Summer Olympics in analogy to the word pentathlon.

1. An athletic contest consisting of ten events which includes sprinting, hurdling, jumping, and throwing over a span of two days.

   “He entered U.C.L.A. in 1954 and played for the renowned coach John Wooden’s basketball team there while training for decathlons.”

   “For now, Gray and her peers are able to compete for Olympic berths only in the seven-event heptathlon, while the decathlon is restricted to men.”

2. A contest in science and math proving skill.