Letterman
/ˈletərmən/
Definitions
An athlete who has met the standards to earn a varsity letter, typically in high school or college sports.
/ˈletərmən/
A student athlete who has earned a varsity letter.
Sarah was proud to be a letterman in the swim team.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're super good at a sport in high school. If you play well enough, you get a special award called a varsity letter. A letterman is someone who's won that letter! Like, 'He's a letterman for the basketball team because he's a great shooter!'
👶 For kids: A person who is good at sports and gets a special award called a letter.
More Examples
The school's letterman jackets were displayed in the trophy case.
As a letterman, he was expected to represent the school well.
How It's Used
"He was a letterman in both football and basketball."
Idioms & expressions
letterman jacket
A jacket given to a letterman, often with the athlete's name, school name, and sport's insignia.
"He proudly wore his letterman jacket."
Derived from the practice of awarding a letter (e.g., a varsity letter) to athletes who meet certain criteria. It's a combination of "letter" and "man" (referring to a person, often male, who has earned the letter).
The term emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the rise of organized school sports.
Memory tip
Think of someone who EARNS the letter – it's earned through performance!