n. [ L. olympias, -adis, Gr. 'olympia`s, 'olympia`dos, fr. 'O`lympos Olympus, a mountain in Macedonia: cf. F. olympiade. ] 1. (Greek Antiq.) A period of four years, by which the ancient Greeks reckoned time, being the interval from one celebration of the Olympic games to another, beginning with the victory of Corœbus in the foot race, which took place in the year 776 b. c.; as, the era of the olympiads. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The quadrennial celebration of the modern Olympic games; as, the first Olympiad (1906). See Olympics.
Syn. -- Olympic games, Olympics. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]