atlete

Atlete is a nonstandard spelling of the English noun athlete. It is not recognized as a separate word in standard dictionaries and is typically encountered as a typographical error or in informal writing. The term used to refer to a person who competes in or trains for sports remains athlete.

Etymology: The word athlete derives from the Greek athlētēs "competitor in athletic games," through Latin and Old French into English. The modern form has been in use since the late Middle Ages.

Usage and significance: In formal writing, the correct spelling should be athlete. Recurrent misspellings like atlete can undermine clarity. Some occurrences of Atlete as a capitalized name may appear in branding or as a proper noun, but such uses do not reflect a separate linguistic sense.

See also: Athlete; Sports terminology; Orthography.