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kinesiology

American  
[ki-nee-see-ol-uh-jee, -zee-, kahy-] / kɪˌni siˈɒl ə dʒi, -zi-, kaɪ- /

noun

  1. the science dealing with the interrelationship of the physiological processes and anatomy of the human body with respect to movement.


kinesiology British  
/ kɪˌniːsɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

  1. the study of the mechanics and anatomy of human muscles

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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."

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Vocabulary lists containing kinesiology

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.

The study compared 12 different therapies, including laser therapy, electrical stimulation, knee braces, insoles, kinesiology tape, water-based therapy, exercise, and ultrasound.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

Scientific data on whether bigger runners benefit more from modern spikes is scant, said Wouter Hoogkamer, an associate professor of kinesiology at UMass Amherst who has published numerous papers on super shoes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 1, 2025

Moody said he already has a plan for himself: go to a four-year university, study kinesiology and become a physical therapist.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2025

While eyes were on the pinnacle of sport at Melbourne Park, he was playing events on the third-tier ITF Tour and still finishing his kinesiology degree at university in the United States.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 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 Doctorow, Cory

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