heptathlon
noun
- track and field combined competition
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /hɛpˈtæθlɒn/
noun
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Afroasiatic *sṗɣ? Proto-Semitic *šabʕ-bor.? Proto-Indo-European *septḿ̥ Proto-Hellenic *heptə́ Ancient Greek ἑπτᾰ́ (heptắ)bor. English hepta- Proto-Indo-European *h₂weh₁-der. Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-tromder. Ancient Greek ἆθλον (âthlon)bor. English -athlon English heptathlon From hepta- + -athlon.
- An athletic contest comprising seven events; contested mostly by women, for whom this is an Olympic sport.
“[Carolina Kluft] has won her last 19 heptathlons. Only the legendary Jackie Joyner-Kersee has scored higher.”
“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.”