palestra

or pa·laes·tra

[ puh-les-truh ]

noun

, Greek Antiquity.

, plural pa·les·tras, pa·les·trae [p, uh, -, les, -tree].

1. a public place for training or exercise in wrestling or athletics.

palestra

/ pəˈlɛstrə; -ˈliː- /

noun

1. See palaestra
   the usual US spelling of palaestra

Word History and Origins

Origin of palestra¹

1375–1425; late Middle English palestre < Latin palaestra a wrestling school, place of exercise < Greek palaístra, equivalent to palais-, variant stem of palaíein to wrestle + -tra feminine noun suffix of place

Example Sentences

In counseling and rehabilitating their clients, La Palestra staff advocate a more integrative understanding of how to heal.

From The Daily Beast

PTL (Italian, n.)—the Italian translation for gym (palestra), tanning (tintarella), and laundry (lavanderia).

From The Daily Beast

For many things there be, which we must conceit and apprehend, as though we had had to do with an antagonist at the palestra.

From Project Gutenberg

This wasnt a lovers bower; it was only a palestra, or an observatory.

From Project Gutenberg

The Spartan maidens were required to exercise in the palestra, almost naked, in the presence of men and strangers.

From Project Gutenberg

But when we leave the child "free as a man" in the palestra of his own intelligence, his type changes entirely.

From Project Gutenberg