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hep·tath·lon

(hĕp-tăthlən, -lŏn′)

An athletic contest usually limited to women in which each contestant participates in the following seven track and field events: 200-meter and 800-meter runs, 100-meter hurdles, shot put, javelin throw, high jump, and long jump.

[HEPT(A)- + (DEC)ATHLON.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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