Paralympics

plural noun

Para·​lym·​pics ˌper-ə-ˈlim-piks 

ˌpa-rə-

: a series of international contests for athletes with disabilities that are associated with and held following the summer and winter Olympic Games

called also Paralympic Games

Paralympian

ˌper-ə-ˈlim-pē-ən 

ˌpa-rə-

noun

Paralympic

ˌper-ə-ˈlim-pik 

ˌpa-rə-

adjective

Examples of Paralympics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At its heart the Paralympics is a festival of sport and a showcase for how disabled bodies can still, when given access and opportunity, remain strong, powerful, healthy and vital. —Gus Alexiou, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024

But amid all that trauma, the former NCAA swimmer found an unexpected opportunity to represent the United States, at this summer’s Paralympics in Paris. —Sean Gregory, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024

The Paralympics must continue not only as a celebration of athletic excellence but also as a symbol of the enduring values that support the global community. —Andrew Heffernan, Twin Cities, 11 Sep. 2024

Morgan Ray, Para Swimming The 22-year-old St. Augustine native — competing in his first Paralympics — won silver in the mixed 4x50m medley relay 20pts. —Martin Vassolo, Axios, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

para(plegic) + (O)lympics, later interpreted as para- entry 1 in sense "alongside of" + (O)lympics

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above