Medalist

/ˈmɛdəlɪst/

nounBeginner📊CommonGeneral
1 meaning2 questions

Definitions

1

A person who has won a medal, especially in a competition or sport.

/ˈmɛdəlɪst/

nounneutralBeginner
General

A person who has won a medal, typically in a sporting event or competition.

The young gymnast was a medalist at the regional championships.

💡 Simply: Imagine you win a race or a contest and get a shiny prize! A medalist is someone who actually wins one of those shiny prizes, like a gold, silver, or bronze medal.

👶 For kids: Someone who wins a medal!

More Examples

2

She became a medalist in swimming at the Commonwealth Games.

3

The country celebrated its Olympic medalists after their impressive performance.

How It's Used

Sports

"The Olympic medalist proudly displayed their gold medal."

Academia

"She was a medalist in the science competition."

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

From "medal" + "-ist". The suffix "-ist" indicates a person who is associated with or practices something related to the root word. The word's origin is linked to the awarding of medals, especially in sporting competitions.

The term 'medalist' emerged alongside the increasing popularity of competitions and awards in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Memory tip

Think of a person holding a medal!

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"related to medals"

Olympic medalistgold medalistsilver medalistbronze medalistformer medalist

Common misspellings

medallist

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written