How Did The Olympic Games Get Its Name?

Hello my dear students, greetings from Olympia! As we count down to the 2012 Summer Olympics, your favorite teacher is here to give you the info you want most. I mean, who cares who wins if you don't know what it's all about? What does "Olympic" even mean, and how did the Games get started? Lucky for you, Hot for Words is here to investigate.

[Hot for Words intro]

There's a lot of mystery and legend surrounding the origin of the games, but we know they started around 776 BC in Olympia, Greece. The most common myth is the story of prince Pelops. He was in love with Hippodamia, the daughter of King Oinomaos of Pisa.

Oinomaos challenged Pelops to a chariot race and said the winner could marry her... but whoever lost would be be-headed! Pelops fought dirty—he replaced the bronze linchpins of the King's chariot with wax, so Oinomaos was thrown to his death during the race. After Pelops married Hippodamia, he started the Olympic games to celebrate his victory (or according to another theory, they were funeral games in memory of Oinomaos.)

No matter whether you believe this myth, historians agree that the Olympics were a very spiritual event for the Ancient Greeks. Every four years, the warring city-states would put aside their differences and come together over their shared passion for sport. And, if you've watched my video about the meaning of the word "gymnasium," you'll know that ancient Greeks exercised in the nude! The first few Olympic Games must have been quite exciting indeed—perhaps that would be a good way for NBC to boost ratings!

Anyway, not everyone liked the religious aspect of the Games. Around 394 AD, King Theodosius put an end to the Olympics because he was trying to bring Christianity to the region. It wasn't until 1896 that the world revived the Games in Athens, Greece. Lucky for us, they were a huge success, and continue to be held in different cities around the world.

So where does the word "Olympic" come from? It originated around 1600, and means "of or in reference to Olympos or Olympia," the town where the Olympic Games were originally held.

The literal symbol of the Games is five interlocking rings, which represent the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world. So, as you see those rings on everything from soda cups to TV screens over the next couple months, remember peace and unity!

And stay tuned for more Hot for Words coverage of the Olympic Games—as usual, I'll bring you the etymological scoop you won't find anywhere else!
And Check out bleacher report channel for more Olympic coverage, the link is here!

For your homework, tell me what you're most excited to see at this year's games!