Discus

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈdɪs.kÉ™s/
• Rhymes: -ɪskÉ™s

Origin

1656. From Latin discus, from Ancient Greek δίσκος (diskos, "disk, quoit, platter").

Full definition of discus

Noun

1. A round plate-like object that is thrown for sport.
• 2004, Frank Fitzpatrick, "The amazing story of the first discus medal winner", The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 18,He href="http://freewordfinder.com/dictionary/w/">Robert Garrett won even though he hadn't ever touched a real discus until just before the event was held.
• 2008, John Branch, "Estonia's Kanter Celebrates Gold Medal in the Discus His Way", The New York Times, August 23,Gerd Kanter had agreed to demonstrate his throwing skill on Friday, but rather than bringing his own discuses—he usually travels with about five of them, ...
2. (uncountable) The athletics sport of discus throwing.
• 2008, "Weir lays down marker in Beijing", BBC, September 8,And Chris Martin took a silver medal in the discus on the opening day in the Bird's Nest, ...
3. (plural: discus) A discus fish.
• 2008, Carol Roberts, "History of Discus", North American Discus Association,The main body of the Amazon River is too fast, too deep, and too silt laden for discus.
4. (rare, dated) A chakram.
• 1893, Krishna-Swaipayana Vyasa, translated by K. M. Ganguli, The Mahabharata, ,And Narayana instantly cut off with his discus the well-adorned head of the Danava who was drinking the Amrita without permission.
• 1899, Thomas William Rhys Davids (transl.), Digha Nikaya, "",If with a discus with an edge sharp as a razor he should make all the living creatures on the earth one heap, one mass, of flesh, ...

Synonyms

• (round plate) quoit

Usage notes

Although an alternative latinate plural disci is often cited, it is hardly ever used in practice.