palaestra

American  

[puh-les-truh] / pəˈlɛs trə /

noun

plural

palaestras, palaestrae

1. Greek Antiquity. palestra.

---

palaestra British  

/ -ˈliː-, pəˈlɛstrə /

noun

1. (in ancient Greece or Rome) a public place devoted to the training of athletes

---

Etymology

Origin of palaestra

C16: via Latin from Greek palaistra, from palaiein to wrestle

Example Sentences

Provincial towns such as Bath had their thermae, heated bathing complexes with splendid indoor pools and an attached palaestra for exercising in the revered Greek style.

From Slate • Jul. 24, 2012

Whether the habits of the palaestra are suitable to them is more doubtful, for the ordinary gymnastic is a sleepy sort of thing, and if left off suddenly is apt to endanger health.

From The Republic by Jowett, Benjamin

The young Athenian from his sixth year onward spent his whole day away from home, in the company of his contemporaries, at school or palaestra, or in the streets.

From The History of Education; educational practice and progress considered as a phase of the development and spread of western civilization by Cubberley, Ellwood Patterson

Beyond this, on the way to the east coast, are the remains of the new and the old palaestra, also partially excavated.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 10 "David, St" to "Demidov" by Various

It is known that Socrates taught wherever he might happen to be, in the palaestra as well as elsewhere.

From The Eleven Comedies, Volume 1 by Aristophanes