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 of gymnasium

• gym

Examples of gymnasium in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

The sound of 100 voices speaking various languages bounced around the Catholic school gymnasium like a basketball. —Tim Craig, Washington Post, 7 June 2026

Stay away from windows and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums. —Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2026

The last three years were spent in Lafayette, Indiana, where every high school gymnasium and baseball and football field feels like a relic. —Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 1 June 2026

Alum Rock school board officials Thursday gave the advocates 540 days to figure out how to design, fund, and build a new youth center and gymnasium at the former MACSA site. —Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 29 May 2026

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"