What is the original Latin Olympic motto adopted in 1894?

The original Olympic motto adopted in 1894 was “Citius, Altius, Fortius,” meaning “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” The phrase expressed the sporting ambition of the modern Olympic movement.

French Dominican priest Henri Didon used the words at a school sports event in 1891. Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic Committee, admired the phrase and proposed it for the Olympic movement. The IOC approved it in 1894.

The motto was traditionally written in Latin and associated with the Olympic rings and other symbols. It emphasizes striving for excellence rather than simply defeating an opponent.

In 2021, the IOC added the word “Communiter,” meaning “Together,” creating the expanded motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter.” The question asks for the original wording, which remains the familiar three-part phrase used for more than a century.