medalist
C1Formal/Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A person who has won a medal in a competition, typically for finishing first, second, or third.
1. An expert or skilled practitioner in a field, often used honorifically (e.g., 'a medalist engineer'). 2. In numismatics, a designer or engraver of medals. 3. A person who competes in medal play in golf.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is achievement-focused, denoting a winner. The spelling 'medalist' is American; 'medallist' is British. It is an agent noun derived from 'medal'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK 'medallist', US 'medalist'.
Connotations
Identical. Associated with success, excellence, and athletic or competitive achievement.
Frequency
Equally common in sports/competition contexts in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[medalist] + [preposition] + [competition/event] (e.g., medalist in the 100m freestyle)[type of medal] + [medalist] (e.g., gold medalist)[competition] + [medalist] (e.g., Olympic medalist)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[no common idioms directly with 'medalist']”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in metaphorical HR contexts: 'She's a medalist in sales this quarter.'
Academic
Used in sports science, history of competitions, and biographical texts about athletes.
Everyday
Common in news reports about sports events and personal achievements.
Technical
Specific use in golf for 'medal play' and in numismatics for a designer of medals.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- [No standard verb form. The verb is 'to medal'.]
American English
- [No standard verb form. The verb is 'to medal'.]
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb form.]
American English
- [No standard adverb form.]
adjective
British English
- The medallist ceremony was held last night.
- She is a medallist athlete.
American English
- The medalist ceremony was held last night.
- He is a medalist golfer.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The gold medalist was very happy.
- She is an Olympic medalist.
- The young medalist celebrated her victory with her team.
- He became a bronze medalist in the wrestling tournament.
- The defending gold medalist faced stiff competition in the finals.
- As a three-time world championship medalist, she was the favourite to win.
- The Paralympic medalist's story inspired a new generation of athletes.
- Despite being a decorated medalist in multiple events, she remained remarkably humble.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: MEDAL + IST = A person who IST (is) associated with a MEDAL.
Conceptual Metaphor
WINNING IS RECEIVING A MEDAL (A concrete token represents abstract success).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'медалист' in Russian, which can mean a student who received a 'medal' for academic excellence, a usage less common in English. English 'medalist' is overwhelmingly sports/competition based.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'She is a medalist of the competition.' Correct: 'She is a medalist in the competition.'
- Confusing 'medalist' (winner) with 'medallion' (a large medal or decorative piece).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'medalist' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'champion' is specifically the first-place winner. A 'medalist' can be anyone who finished in the top three (gold, silver, or bronze). All champions are medalists, but not all medalists are champions.
It is rare. Its primary meaning is sporting/competitive. For academic honours, terms like 'honour student', 'valedictorian', or 'scholarship winner' are more common, though 'medalist' can be used in specific formal award ceremonies.
Both are correct, but 'medalist' is the American English spelling, and 'medallist' is the British English spelling.
The verb is 'to medal', meaning to win a medal. Example: 'She medaled in two events.' Note: This verb is sometimes considered informal by style guides.
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