palaestra

noun

pa·​laes·​tra pə-ˈle-strə How to pronounce palaestra (audio)
plural palaestrae pə-ˈle-(ˌ)strē How to pronounce palaestra (audio)
1
: a school in ancient Greece or Rome for sports (such as wrestling)
2

Examples of palaestra in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Finds include a Roman palaestra (wrestling hall), mosaics, ceramics, a council building and a columned gallery. Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'palaestra.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English palestre arena, from Latin palaestra place for wrestling, from Greek palaistra, from palaiein to wrestle

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of palaestra was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near palaestra

Cite this Entry

“Palaestra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palaestra. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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