Relating to or characteristic of athletes or athletic activities; physically strong and active.
From Greek 'athletikos,' derived from 'athletēs' (one who competes). The '-al' suffix is a common English addition to form adjectives. This is largely archaic; 'athletic' is the standard modern form.
English dropped the 'al' from 'athletical' in favor of 'athletic' as languages naturally streamline—we prefer shorter words when they work just as well, which is why you'll rarely encounter this version today.
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