zawodników

Zawodników is a form of the Polish noun zawodni k, used as the genitive plural (and also the accusative plural) of its masculine personal form zawodnik. The term by itself denotes a person who participates in a sport or competition; in common usage it is equivalent to “competitor” or “athlete,” particularly when referring to a group of people.

In grammar, zawodników appears in constructions that require the genitive or accusative case. For example, in a sentence such as “Wśród zawodników turnieju było 128 osób,” the word indicates the group of people participating in the event. The corresponding nominative plural is zawodnicy (masculine), and the feminine form is zawodniczki (with the male plural converted accordingly when both genders are included). The feminine counterpart is zawodniczka for a single female competitor and zawodniczki for multiple female competitors.

Usage and nuance. Zawodnik emphasizes active participation and skill in a sport or competition. It is common in sports journalism, team rosters, match reports, and event summaries. Other related terms include sportowiec (athlete in a broader sense), uczestnik zawodów (participant in competitions), and zawodnik zawodów with a more formal or event-specific flavor.

Etymology. The noun is formed with the agent suffix -nik from a stem related to zawody (competitions, events) and conveys the meaning “one who competes.” The term is widely understood across Polish-speaking contexts and remains neutral and descriptive in encyclopedic use.