Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of or relating to gymnastics.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Pertaining to athletic exercises of the body, intended for health, defense, or diversion.
  • Pertaining to disciplinary exercises for the intellect.
  • Athletic; vigorous.
  • noun Athletic exercise; athletics.
  • noun Disciplinary exercise for the intellect or character.
  • noun A teacher of gymnastics; a gymnast.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete A gymnast.
  • adjective Pertaining to athletic exercises intended for health, defense, or diversion; -- originally said of games or exercises, as running, leaping, wrestling, throwing the discus, the javelin, etc.; in modern times more specifically applied to athletic exercises demonstrating balance and agility, such as tumbling, somersaulting, and bodily maneuvers performed on special equipment such as parallel bars or a balance beam
  • adjective pertaining to disciplinary exercises for the intellect.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Pertaining to gymnastics.
  • adjective Pertaining to the gymnasia (ancient Greek schools).
  • noun obsolete A gymnast.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective vigorously active
  • adjective of or relating to or used in exercises intended to develop strength and agility

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Wiwau prodded with the goad, and Tiha stumbled and wabbled in gymnastic efforts to make speed.

    CHAPTER XIV 2010

  • No matter what fabric and style the reader chose, Butterick promised it would be "exceedingly comfortable for wear while engaged in gymnastic exercises."

    "Make It Yourself": Home Sewing, Gender, and Culture, 1890-1930 2006

  • Socrates: And as you speak of an excellence or art of the best in wrestling, and of an excellence in playing the lyre, I wish you would tell me what this latter is; — the excellence of wrestling I call gymnastic, and I want to know what you call the other.

    The First Alcibiades 2006

  • SOCRATES: And as you speak of an excellence or art of the best in wrestling, and of an excellence in playing the lyre, I wish you would tell me what this latter is; -- the excellence of wrestling I call gymnastic, and I want to know what you call the other.

    Alcibiades I circa 427-347 BC. Spurious and doubtful works Plato

  • Wiwau prodded with the goad, and Tiha stumbled and wabbled in gymnastic efforts to make speed.

    Chapter 14 1917

  • "The word 'gymnastic,' " explains K.T. Coates, the federation's president, "derives from the Greek '

    NYT > Home Page By DAVE ITZKOFF 2012

  • Education has two branches — one of gymnastic, which is concerned with the body, and the other of music, which is designed for the improvement of the soul.

    Laws 2006

  • "Well, and who changed the time of the speeches, and put the idea of gymnastic poles into the heads of their worships the sixth form?" said the master.

    Tom Brown's Schooldays Hughes, Thomas, 1822-1896 1971

  • The bourgeoise has taken the place forfeited by a wastrel nobility which now subsists only to set ignoble fashions and whose sole contribution to our 'civilization' is the establishment of gluttonous dining clubs, so-called gymnastic societies, and pari-mutuel associations.

    Là-bas Keene [Translator] Wallace 1877

  • In fact, I fully expected at any moment to be shaken from my grasp, as, oddly enough, even in that time of peril, I recalled the gymnastic sport of giant strides of my schooldays, and held on; but I was certain we were now too late, and that it was only a matter of moments before we should be overtaken and cut down or taken prisoners by

    Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870

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