olympiad

/oʊˈlɪm.pi.æd/

Etymology

From the plural forms Olimpiades, Olympiades, and Olympiadiz of Middle English Olimpias and Olympias (“ancient Olympic Games, 4-year period between these games, intense battle or competition”) from Middle French Olympiade and Old French Olympiade (“ancient Olympic games, 4-year period between these games”), from Latin Olympias (“4-year period between Olympic Games”) whose genitive form was Olympiados or Olympiadis), from Ancient Greek Ὀλυμπῐᾰ́ς (Olumpĭắs, “ancient Olympic Games, 4-year period between these games”) whose plural form was Ὀλυμπῐᾰ́δες (Olumpĭắdes), from Ὀλυμπῐ́ᾱ (Olumpĭ́ā, “Olympia”), the town in ancient Greece where the games were held, + -ᾰ́ς (-ắs, a suffix forming feminine adjectives or nouns), from either Ὀλῠ́μπῐος (Olŭ́mpĭos, “of or related to Mount Olympus, Olympian, the

olympiad means A four-year period, particularly (historical) those based on Hippias's computations of the ancient Olympic Games which placed Coroebus's footrace victory in 776 BCE and (sports) those based on the modern Summer Olympic Games first held in 1896. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 81 out of 100.

olympiad is pronounced /oʊˈlɪm.pi.æd/.

Why “olympiad” is a great word

OLYMPIAD — [Noun] A period of four years, especially one reckoned from the celebration of the ancient or modern Olympic Games, or a major international competition, particularly for students, held at similar intervals. From Middle French Olympiade and Latin Olympias ("four-year period between Olympic Games"), from Ancient Greek Ὀλυμπιάς (Olympiás, "Olympic Games, four-year interval"), from Ὀλυμπία (Olympía, "Olympia," the site of the games) + -άς (-ás, a suffix forming feminine nouns). Unlike "Olympics" (which names the fleeting spectacle of the Games themselves) or "tournament" (which suggests a simple bracket of matches), an Olympiad is the grander vessel: the hushed, expectant interval, the count of centuries, the frame for genius. It is the dusty scroll where a Greek historian dates an event by the 3rd year of the 95th Olympiad; the quiet intensity of a teenager practicing for a mathematics competition that will not recur until their college years; the patient archivist noting another four-year notch in the chronicle—a human attempt to carve eternity into manageable, numbered portions.

noun

A four-year period, particularly (historical) those based on Hippias's computations of the ancient Olympic Games which placed Coroebus's footrace victory in 776 BCE and (sports) those based on the modern Summer Olympic Games first held in 1896.“Ancient sources variously dated the founding of Rome to the 38th year before the first Olympiad, the third or fourth year of the sixth Olympiad, the first year of the seventh or eighth Olympiad, or the fourth year of the 12th Olympiad.”
Synonym of Olympic Games: an instance of the ancient or modern Olympic Games.“Victors at the ancient Olympiads only won an olive wreath but were usually freed from paying taxes for the remainder of their life, but modern Olympians have frequently needed to pay taxes on the market value of their gold, silver, or bronze medals.”
A competition aspiring to the importance of the Olympic Games or considered similar to them, especially one occurring at 4-year intervals, representing a national or international range of amateur student rather than professional adult competition, and/or requiring the highest level of ability in the field for success.“the International Mathematical Olympiad... the Science Olympiad... the International Science Olympiads... the Women's Chess Olympiad...”