olympiad

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: O=lym=pi=ad

CIDE DICTIONARY

olympiad, n. [L. olympias, -adis, Gr. 'olympia`s, 'olympia`dos, fr. 'O`lympos Olympus, a mountain in Macedonia: cf. F. olympiade.].

•  A period of four years, by which the ancient Greeks reckoned time, being the interval from one celebration of the Olympic games to another, beginning with the victory of Corb. c.; as, the era of the olympiads.  [1913 Webster]
•  The quadrennial celebration of the modern Olympic games; as, the first Olympiad (1906). See Olympics.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

olympiad, n.
1 a a period of four years between Olympic games, used by the ancient Greeks in dating events. b a four-yearly celebration of the ancient Olympic Games.
2 a celebration of the modern Olympic Games.
3 a regular international contest in chess etc.

Etymology

ME f. F Olympiade f. L Olympias Olympiad- f. Gk Olumpias Olumpiad- f. Olumpios: see OLYMPIAN, OLYMPIC