track meet: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, Athletic
Quick answer
What does “track meet” mean?
A competitive athletic event consisting of various track and field contests, such as running, jumping, and throwing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A competitive athletic event consisting of various track and field contests, such as running, jumping, and throwing.
An organized competition, often interscholastic or intercollegiate, where athletes and teams gather to compete in track and field events, with results contributing to team scores or individual rankings.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'track meet' is almost exclusively American. In British English, the equivalent terms are 'athletics meeting' or simply 'meeting'.
Connotations
In AmE, it has a standard, neutral sporting connotation. In BrE, using 'track meet' would immediately mark the speaker as American or influenced by American media.
Frequency
Very high frequency in American sports contexts; extremely low to zero in natural British English.
Grammar
How to Use “track meet” in a Sentence
[Verb] a track meet (host, attend, cancel)[Adjective] track meet (regional, invitational)track meet [Preposition] (at the track meet, for the track meet)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “track meet” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The school will host the athletics meeting next week.
American English
- Our school is scheduled to track-meet with our rivals on Friday. (Note: 'track-meet' as a verb is highly informal and rare)
adjective
British English
- He is a meeting official for the athletics event.
American English
- She set a new track-meet record in the 100m dash.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in sports management or event planning.
Academic
Used in physical education, sports science, or school news contexts.
Everyday
Common in communities with school sports, especially in the US.
Technical
Specific to athletics administration and coaching.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “track meet”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “track meet”
- Using 'track meeting' (sounds like a business discussion about railways).
- Using it in a UK context where 'athletics meeting' is expected.
- Confusing it with 'track event' (which is one race, not the whole competition).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a compound noun written as two separate words: 'track meet'.
It is possible but less common. The term is most frequently used for school, college, or club-level competitions. Professional events are more often called 'championships', 'games', or 'tournaments'.
A 'track meet' is the entire competition containing many events. A 'track event' is a single type of race, like the 100-meter dash or the 1500-meter run.
In 'track meet', 'meet' is a noun meaning a gathering or assembly for sporting competition. It is related to the verb 'to meet', but functions as a separate lexical item in this context.
A competitive athletic event consisting of various track and field contests, such as running, jumping, and throwing.
Track meet is usually informal, athletic in register.
Track meet: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtræk ˌmiːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtræk ˌmit/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A meet of minds (not related, but a pun potential)”
- “On track (related conceptually, but not specific)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine athletes MEETing on the running TRACK to compete.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS A GATHERING (MEET).
Practice
Quiz
Which term would a British sports commentator most likely use?