kinesiology
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of kinesiology
First recorded in 1890–95; from Greek kī́nēsi(s) “movement” ( see kinesis) + -o- + -logy
Explanation
Kinesiology is the study of human movement. Students who study sports medicine in college will often take classes in kinesiology. Studying the way the human body moves, how it's affected by movement, and the ways it's prone to being hurt by movement all fall under the label of kinesiology. Physical education teachers, coaches, physical therapists, dancers — all of these people have an interest in kinesiology, because their jobs are directly connected to the movement of the human body. The word kinesiology comes from a Greek root word, kinesis, "motion or movement."
Vocabulary lists containing kinesiology
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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.
According to Jonas Rubenson, a professor of kinesiology at Penn State, the ability to move efficiently could play an important role in animal evolution.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
“It works really well when the limb is motionless,” says John Schuna, associate professor of kinesiology at Oregon State University.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
“There are multiple reasons why our fitness or our ability to exercise at a higher level declines,” said Amanda Paluch, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
From Barron's ● May 23, 2026
I started with kinesiology until I realized I suck at science and math.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2025
I’ve got three-quarters of a degree in environmental studies, one year of kinesiology, and a half-written one-act play.
From Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
