Biles

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. An individual recognized for outstanding gymnastic skills and achievements in the sport
2. A surname associated with an elite gymnast known for her unprecedented performances and medals
3. A term often used to refer to exceptional abilities within competitive gymnastics circles

Etymology: Simone Biles, the American gymnast, has turned a plain noun into a sporting term. The word itself is the plural of "bile," the bitter greenish fluid made by the liver to aid digestion. Gymnastics fans began using "biles" to mean a difficult, exceptional skill, a usage that spread from the name of the athlete who made her routines look effortless. "Bile" came into English from Middle French "bile," which was itself borrowed from Latin "bīlis." Native English had an older word for the same substance, "gall," from Old English "galla" and "ġealla," and "bile" partly displaced it. The English "gall" still survives in the phrase "gall bladder."

Synonyms: bitters, resentments, hatreds, acrimony, malice

Antonyms: joys, pleasures, delights, happiness, bliss