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Glite Dictionary
athletic supporter

athletic supporter

1 4.1
A piece of underwear that supports and protects a man's private parts during sports
  • noun
  • /æθˈlɛtɪk səˈpɔrtər/
  • US
translation icon : suspensorio
  • Make sure to wear an athletic supporter while playing contact sports to provide proper protection.

Examples

  • "Why do you want to be an athletic supporter, anyway, Joe?"

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Bring a clean athletic supporter with you to the hospital.

    Blog text (30)

  • I had bought new briefs, and I was wearing an athletic supporter underneath to try to contain myself.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • He always uses an athletic supporter when he goes for a run to support his body.

  • The coach reminded the players to bring their athletic supporters for the upcoming match.

Synonyms

jock
vsathletic supporter
  • US
17 8.1

A close-fitting piece of underwear that protects a man's private parts during sports

is used more generally for support and protection across strenuous activities
jockstrap
vsathletic supporter
  • Specialized
14 6.2

A piece of underwear that supports and protects a man's private parts during sports

is broader and applies to support in any strenuous activity beyond sport
supporter
vsathletic supporter
  • US
2 5.6

A tight piece of underwear men wear to hold and protect their private parts during sports

is a more general term used for support and protection in any strenuous activity
suspensor
vsathletic supporter
1 9.3

A piece of clothing that supports and protects the area between a man's legs during sports

is the common everyday word used more broadly for the same garment

How Protective

athletic supporter
  • US
1 4.1
briefs
1.5

Surface Forms

athletic supporter singular
athletic supporters plural

Morphology

athletic + supporter

The meaning is directly compositional: 'athletic' (relating to sports) combined with 'supporter' (an undergarment that provides support) yields a sports undergarment. While 'supporter' can also mean a fan in other contexts, given the clothing sense of the constituent words the phrase is immediately interpretable by a B1 learner who knows both words.

Etymology

Athletic supporter may come from early bike riders who wore a tight undergarment with a strap and cup to hold and protect their private parts during rough riding. That's why the word supporter was used, and today the phrase means a special undergarment that 'supports' and protects men's private parts during sports.