physical education

American  

noun

1. systematic instruction in sports, exercises, and hygiene given as part of a school or college program.

---

physical education British  

noun

1.  PE.  training and practice in sports, gymnastics, etc, as in schools and colleges

---

Etymology

Origin of physical education

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

physical education

Many schools are housed in beautiful old palazzi - they were never designed with modern physical education in mind.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

Aspiring physical education teacher Gao Yemiao missed his 30-second window to buy a train ticket home for China's biggest holiday before seats sold out -- but he was lucky.

From Barron's ● Feb. 13, 2026

For that he has his mother to thank - who persuaded him to study engineering when perhaps a course in physical education might have seemed more logical.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2025

Each school would have pre-K, more than one teacher per grade, and music, art, and physical education teachers.

From Seattle Times ● May 30, 2024

I hadn’t played on a proper soccer team since I was twelve, but we played it in physical education sometimes, when we weren’t doing Net Sports or Whiffle ball or timed mile runs.

From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram