gymnasium

noun

gym·​na·​si·​um

sense 1

jim-ˈnā-zē-əm 

-zhəm;

sense 2 is usually

gim-ˈnä-zē-əm 

plural gymnasiums or gymnasia

sense 1

jim-ˈnā-zē-ə 

-zhə;

 sense 2 is usually  gim-ˈnä-zē-ə

1

a

: a large room used for various indoor sports (such as basketball or boxing) and usually equipped with gymnastic apparatus

b

: a building (as on a college campus) containing space and equipment for various indoor sports activities and usually including spectator accommodations, locker and shower rooms, offices, classrooms, and a swimming pool

2

[German, from Latin, school] : a European secondary school that prepares students for the university

Synonyms

• gym
• health club
• health spa
• spa

Examples of gymnasium in a Sentence

since it was raining, the kids had recess in the gymnasium

Recent Examples on the Web

On this night, the community center’s dimmed gymnasium is transformed into a makeshift fight ring lined with pink, blue and white trans pride flags and fiery flames projected onto the wall. —Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024

The venue featured the city’s first gymnasium and first indoor pool. —Tom Layberger, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024

Emhoff’s first event was a Freedom to Vote rally, at San Antonio College, and the school’s gymnasium was packed with a diverse and excited crowd. —Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024

The first floor has a lobby welcome center, a games room, recording studio, teaching kitchen, cafeteria and gymnasium. —Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, exercise ground, school, from Greek gymnasion, from gymnazein to exercise naked, from gymnos naked — more at naked

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

gymnasium

noun

gym·​na·​si·​um jim-ˈnā-zē-əm  -zhəm 

plural gymnasiums or gymnasia

-zē-ə,

-zhə

: a room or building for sports activities

Etymology

from Latin gymnasium "exercise ground, school," from Greek gymnasion (same meaning), from gymnazein "to exercise naked," from gymnos "naked"