Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

decathlon

/diːˈkæθlɒn/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.57 in modern English

Syllables
de-cathlon
IPA
/diːˈkæθlɒn/
15
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An athletic contest consisting of ten events which includes sprinting, hurdling, jumping, and throwing over a span of two days.

noun

A contest in science and math proving skill.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From dec- + -athlon, coined for the 1912 Summer Olympics in analogy to the word pentathlon.

Regional Pronunciation

  • British English: /diːˈkæθlɒn/

Inflected Forms

decathlons (plural) decathla (plural)

Frequently Paired Words

decathlete

Questions

How do you pronounce decathlon?
The recorded pronunciation is /diːˈkæθlɒn/.
What does decathlon mean?
An athletic contest consisting of ten events which includes sprinting, hurdling, jumping, and throwing over a span of two days.
Where does decathlon come from?
From dec- + -athlon, coined for the 1912 Summer Olympics in analogy to the word pentathlon.

How to pronounce decathlon

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “decathlon”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/diːˈkæθlɒn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “decathlon”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “decathlon” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.