discus

Etymology

1656. From Latin discus, from Ancient Greek δίσκος (dískos, “disk, quoit, platter”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈdɪs.kəs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪskəs

Noun

discus (plural discuses)

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 [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 (genus Symphysodon)
   • 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, Adi Parva, Section XIX,

     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, "Sàmañña-Phàla Sutta",

     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, […]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɪskʏs/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

discus m (plural discussen, diminutive discusje n)

1. discus

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek δίσκος (dískos).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈdis.kus/

Noun

discus m (genitive discī); second declension

1. a discus, quoit
2. a dish shaped like a discus
3. disc of a sundial

References

• discus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• discus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• discus in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• discus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• discus in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• discus in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin