Olympiads

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A series of athletic competitions held every four years among representatives of various nations, showcasing their skills and sporting excellence
2. Multi-sport events featuring athletes from different countries, organized to foster unity and healthy competition every four years
3. An international event comprising various sporting disciplines, aimed at promoting friendship and global participation through athletic achievements

Etymology: The plural "olympiads" is simply the form you use when counting more than one "olympiad," a period of four years that begins with the Games at Olympia in ancient Greece. Those ancient Games were named for Olympia, the sanctuary in the western Peloponnese where they were held, and the word "olympiad" was used by the Greeks to mark time, counting the years between one celebration and the next. Because the Greeks dated events by olympiads, the word came to mean the four-year interval itself, not just the festival. Modern English uses it in both senses, so "olympiads" can refer to several stretches of four years or to several rounds of the modern competitions, as well as to other contests carrying the name, such as academic olympiads.