Runners

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Participants in races that run for competition or leisure
2. Individuals who engage in running, either competitively or for fitness ; components designed to slide smoothly over a surface, such as on furniture or machinery
3. Persons taking part in running activities, including races and training sessions ; elements that facilitate easy movement by gliding along a track or floor

Etymology: "Runners" is the plural of "runner," and the noun traces back to a verb that English has used since the Old English period. The Middle English form "rennere" or "rynner" was built by adding the agent suffix "-er" to "run," so the basic sense is simply one who runs. Old Norse had a close relative, "rennari," meaning a runner or messenger, which shows how closely the idea of running and carrying news or goods were tied together in the North Germanic and English worlds. The older English word was "rynel," which meant a runner, courier, or messenger. It was eventually displaced by the newer "-er" formation, so the form you see today is not the original English word for this idea but a replacement that won out in Middle English. The emphasis on messengers in both the Old English and Old Norse forms suggests that the earliest runners were people paid or sent to travel quickly, rather than athletes racing for sport.

Synonyms: joggers, sprinters, athletes

Antonyms: walkers, sitters