Paralympian
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌpæ.ɹəˈlɪm.pɪ.ən/
ipa: /ˌpæ.ɹəˈlɪm.pi.ən/
ipa: /ˌpɛ-/
Forms: form: more Paralympian
form: most Paralympian
Etymology: From Paralympic + -ian (suffix with the sense ‘having a certain profession’ forming nouns, or with the sense ‘from, like, or related to’ forming adjectives). Paralympic is a blend of paraplegic + Olympic; the Paralympic Games were originally organized for persons with paraplegia from spinal injuries, but are now participated in by sportspersons with all kinds of disabilities.
Senses: examples: text: As girls and women of all stripes of ability around the world are encouraged to become involved in sport, and as nearly all nations submit Paralympian females, it is hoped that support for fellow athletes—emotionally as well as economically, is part of that process.
ref: 2014, Linda K. Fuller, “Gendered Implications of Olympic and the Paralympic Events”, in Female Olympian and Paralympian Events: Analyses, Backgrounds, and Timelines, Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, Springer International Publishing, published 2018, →DOI, →ISBN, page 15:
text: Should we be inspired by Paralympian achievement? Commentator Frances Ryan recently counselled Guardian readers to be careful to think through their reactions to disabled "superhuman" athletes and academic poster boys like Professor Stephen Hawking. Treat people with disabilities just like everyone else, is the argument.
ref: 2016 September 15, Tom Shakespeare, “Disabled People Don’t Want to Be Your Inspiration, but If They Are It’s No Surprise”, in The Conversation, Parkville, Melbourne, Vic.: The Conversation Media Group, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2020:
text: There was a real fear that not all Paralympians would be able to attend the games because the Paralympian athletes' travel grants were paid 3 weeks' late.
ref: 2019, Clare O’Donoghue, “Discourses/4. Brazil: Accessing the Rights of Children with Disabilities: Attitudes towards and Challenges for SEND in Brazil”, in Federico Farini, Angela Scollan, editors, Children’s Self-determination in the Context of Early Childhood Education and Services: Discourses, Policies and Practices (International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development; 25), Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature, →DOI, →ISBN, →ISSN, part II (Discourses), page 193:
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: Of or pertaining to a Paralympian (“one who competes in the Paralympic Games”).
examples: text: Funds sought for ‘Paralympian’ trip [article title] […] At present, however, the Long Beach resident has more than records on his mind, mainly getting a representative U.S. team to the 1964 "paralympics" to be held in Tokyo Nov. 8–12. [Frank] Vecera is on a fund-raising drive for the six California athletes selected to perform on this year's team. The tab for transporting the six to Tokyo is $3,900.
ref: 1964 August 20, “Funds sought for ‘Paralympian’ trip”, in Nick B[oddie] Williams, editor, Los Angeles Times, volume LXXXIII, number 250, Los Angeles, Calif.: Times Mirror Company, →OCLC, part III (Sports), page 8, columns 2–3:
text: So they disqualified [Jody] Cundy on the spot. And it must be said, [Alfonso] Cabello's coaches covered themselves in little glory by registering their own protest that Cundy should not be allowed a restart. True Paralympian spirit, eh, senors?
ref: 2012 August 31, Mike Walters, “Why the commissionaires’ handling of Jody Cundy has been a disgrace to the Paralympics”, in Daily Mirror, London: Reach plc, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08 May 2017:
text: Offering paralympian dreams to young amputees [article title]
ref: 2017 October 18, “Offering paralympian dreams to young amputees”, in Khmer Times, Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Virtus Media, →OCLC:
text: Just as with the Olympic Games, Paralympian ones continue to change.
ref: 2018, Linda K. Fuller, “Gendered Implications of Olympic and the Paralympic Events”, in Female Olympian and Paralympian Events: Analyses, Backgrounds, and Timelines, Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, Springer International Publishing, →DOI, →ISBN, page 15:
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: Of or pertaining to the Paralympic Games; Paralympic.