What does biathlon mean?
Biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting. Competitors race over a ski course while carrying a small-calibre rifle and firing at targets, with their results determined by skiing speed and accuracy at the shooting range. The discipline grew out of military ski-and-shooting traditions and became an Olympic event in 1960. In current English, biathlon may refer either to the sport as a whole or to an individual competition within it, as in a biathlon sprint, pursuit, or relay. Its close association with winter competition gives it a distinctly sporting and international character, especially in countries with strong ski and biathlon traditions. A competitor is called a biathlete, while the standard plural for competitions is biathlons. Although the word may be encountered when discussing the Winter Olympics, it should not be confused with triathlon: biathlon involves skiing and shooting, whereas triathlon consists of swimming, cycling, and running.
nounBiathlon is a winter sport combining cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, in which competitors race along a ski course and shoot at targets. It may also refer to an individual competition in this sport.
- A winter sport and competitive discipline combining cross-country skiing with rifle shooting.
"The defending Olympic champion completed the final biathlon relay in a cloud of snow."
"She qualified for the Olympic biathlon team after an outstanding season."
"The biathlon combines demanding cross-country skiing with careful target shooting."
The standard plural is used for multiple competitions or races in the sport.
"She won three biathlons during the World Cup season."
Olympic biathlon turns a ski race into a test of marksmanship: one shaky shot can cost an athlete a place.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does biathlon come from?
Biathlon is a modern English compound, in use since the mid-20th century, that joins bi-, meaning “two,” to -athlon. The second element continues Greek áthlon, meaning “contest,” and is familiar in English through words such as athlete and athletic and through related compounds such as triathlon and decathlon. In biathlon, the formation evokes a contest of two component disciplines: skiing and shooting.
Related word forms
How biathlon is actually used
The term is standard in sporting contexts in both British and American English. It can denote the sport generally or a particular race or event; a competitor is called a biathlete.
Easily confused with biathlon
Biathlon combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, whereas triathlon consists of swimming, cycling, and running.