gymnast
Americannoun
-
gymnasts
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of gymnast
1585–95; < Greek gymnastḗs the trainer of the athletes, equivalent to gymnáz ( ein ) ( see gymnasium 1) + -tēs agent suffix
Explanation
A gymnast is a person who trains in and practices the sport of gymnastics. If you become a gymnast, you'll learn to walk and jump and even do cartwheels on a balance beam. Athletes who participate in gymnastics are gymnasts. During competitions, gymnasts perform routines on uneven and parallel bars; vault over a special "horse" or table; and demonstrate a series of floor moves including back flips, handstands, and leaps. Gymnast comes from gymnastics, which is based on the Greek gynmastikos, "skilled in bodily exercise," from the root gymnazein, "to exercise."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Henkels is working his way up in a sport filled with talented athletes who have to maneuver their bodies like a gymnast in pursuit of a perfect score of 100 from the judges.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026
I’d been a gymnast and cheerleader in my youth, and I still wanted to be able to do cartwheels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and her NFL star husband, Jonathan Owens, have landed a buyer for their sprawling Texas property—just days after listing the home they resided in while finishing up their custom mansion.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
In early June, the gymnast revealed that she had “almost died” after experiencing an unspecified medical emergency while she was alone at the Texas property.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
When a gymnast does a little hop on the landing, that’s an automatic one-tenth deduction.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
SafeSport, a non-profit established to prevent the abuse of athletes and and address misconduct allegations, was dismissed as a defendant in two lawsuits filed by gymnasts that allege the organization did not properly investigate Gardner.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
"I feel that the ICP process failed me and many other gymnasts," Laura says.
From BBC ● May 21, 2026
"It's evident gymnasts, coaches, parents and families have found the process challenging and frustrating, and it has not been a positive experience for those involved," it added.
From BBC ● May 21, 2026
Having familiar faces of friends and family in the crowd, even when they are competing away from Pauley Pavilion, means a lot to the gymnasts, McDonald said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026
But at level ten, that began to change, because most gymnasts at that level were intending to pursue an elite career.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
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