What does sportsperson mean?
A sportsperson is someone who takes part in a sport, particularly as a competitor or professional player. The word is gender-neutral, so it can refer to women, men, or people whose gender is not specified. It is especially frequent in British English, although it is also understood and used in American English. In everyday writing, sportspeople is often a more natural plural than sportspersons, while sportsman and sportswoman remain familiar alternatives when gender is relevant. The term can cover athletes in running, swimming, cycling, and individual events as well as players in team sports. It is useful in contexts where an inclusive label is preferred or where the relevant distinction is participation in sport rather than a particular role, profession, or discipline.
nounA person who participates in a sport, especially one who does so professionally or competitively. The term is gender-neutral and can refer to athletes, players, or others involved in sporting activities.
- A person who plays or participates in a sport, especially at a competitive or professional level.
"The young sportsperson received encouragement from an experienced coach."
"She is among the country's most successful sportspersons."
"Every serious sportsperson needs time to recover between demanding events."
Both forms are standard. Sportspeople is often preferred in natural prose, while sportspersons is the more directly regular plural.
"The country's leading sportspersons gathered for the national championships."
Sportsperson is a modern, gender-neutral term that can describe players and competitors without choosing between labels such as sportsman and sportswoman.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sportsperson come from?
Sportsperson is a modern English compound formed from sport and person. It developed alongside the older gendered terms sportsman and sportswoman and became especially prominent in contexts where a neutral designation was preferred. The related form sportspeople reflects the irregular plural pattern of person and people, just as person does in ordinary English.
Related word forms
How sportsperson is actually used
The word is especially common in British English but is also used in American English. Its regular plural is sportspersons, though sportspeople is common and often sounds more natural; the gender-specific terms sportsman and sportswoman remain widely used.
Easily confused with sportsperson
An athlete is someone who competes in athletic events, while a sportsperson is a broader gender-neutral term for anyone who plays or takes part in a sport.