gymkhana
noun
-ˈka-
Did you know?
Both the word gymkhana and the event it describes originated in 19th-century India. The word is probably an alteration of the Hindi "gedkhana," which describes a ball- playing area similar to a racket ball court, with the first syllable influenced by our word gymnasium. The first gymkhanas were displays of athletics and equestrian skill, and while those are still common, the 20th century introduced a new kind of gymkhana, designed to show off car handling. These newer gymkhanas are often held in parking lots, where contestants race over tight, twisting courses marked with cones or pylons.
Examples of gymkhana in a Sentence
Frank Markus, Car and Driver, 2 Jan. 2023
Veronica Duncan knew at once what to look for in a pony or a horse, after all those gymkhanas and point-to-points.
—The Economist, 12 Oct. 2017
Workers were dragging and wetting the sand/clay mixture before the start of the gymkhana event, and the girls wanted a front row seat.
—Denise Coffey, Courant Community, 5 Sep. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Gymkhana.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gymkhana. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share