Pilates

noun

Pi·​la·​tes pə-ˈlä-tēz 

: an exercise regimen that is typically performed on a floor mat or with the use of specialized apparatus and aims to improve flexibility and stability by strengthening the muscles and especially the torso-stabilizing muscles of the abdomen and lower back

Long popular with dancers, Pilates recently has attracted a huge surge of athletes, models, actors and other body-conscious folks.

—Patricia Hagen

She does intensive Pilates, deep-muscle floor exercises and stretches.

—Cosmopolitan

Examples of Pilates in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The gym is well-equipped, with Technogym equipment, a Reform RX Pilates machine, and a private personal training studio. —Laura Ratliff, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2024

Watch Party Newsletter Apple cider vinegar Is Pilates for you? —USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024

On top of that, her training included Pilates, barre, and cycling. —Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2024

An Impossibly High Tub, A Tent and Poolside Pilates Opened in 2019, the 219-room Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center features 39 suites, all of which contain a soaking tub with jaw-dropping views of the city far below. —Margaux Lushing, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Joseph H. Pilates †1967 U.S. (German-born) fitness instructor

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

Pilates

noun

Pi·​la·​tes pə-ˈlä-tēz 

: an exercise regimen typically performed with the use of specialized apparatus and designed to improve the overall condition of the body