Athleticism is physical strength, speed and skill. Sheer athleticism, remarkable athleticism, praised for his athleticism.
It names raw physical ability rather than technique, which is why a commentator will credit a save to athleticism when the positioning was wrong. It is the quality that lets somebody recover from a mistake.
1nounathleticismPhysical strength, speed and skill.
“The goalkeeper's athleticism let him leap across and push the ball away.”
athleticism is a quality.
Middle French
athletique
English
athletic
English, today
athleticism
Built from
From athletic + -ism. athletic Borrowed from Middle French athletique. Middle French athletique and Latin āthlēticus, from Ancient Greek ἀθλητικός (“relating to an athlete”), from ἀθλητής (“athlete”): equivalent to athlete + -ic. For more, see athlete. The Super Mario sense is effectively a reborrowing of Japanese アスレチック (“obstacle course”), originally borrowed from English athletic; this sense was itself originally a clipping of the genericized wasei eigo trademark フィールドアスレチック (“Field Athletic”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA