ironman
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.17 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An extremely tough and strong athlete, especially one who competes in extreme athletic competitions or in a large number of games consecutively.
noun
A form of surf lifesaving competition which combines swimming, board paddling, ski paddling and running.
Australian usage
noun
An extreme form of triathlon, expecially one organised by the World Triathlon Corporation that comprises a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race and a marathon run.
noun
The winner of such a lifesaving event or triathlon.
Example Sentences
- "The catalyst for this rift was the ironman, a multi-discipline sport combining swimming, running, surf-skis and paddle-boards. Introduced to Australia in 1965 by touring American lifeguards, the ironman is a test of stamina, strength, and diverse skill."
- "“Every sense of your body is taken over by the climate,” said the New York City native Christopher Bergland, who set a record at triple ironmans (7.2-mile swim, 336-mile bike, 78.6-mile run) but failed to finish one of his three Badwater races."
Etymology
From iron + man. First applied to Joe McGinnity, a baseball player who pitched 48 complete games in one season and worked in an iron foundry during the offseason.