palaestra

noun

pa·​laes·​tra pə-ˈle-strə 

plural palaestrae pə-ˈle-(ˌ)strē 

1

: a school in ancient Greece or Rome for sports (such as wrestling)

2

: gymnasium

Examples of palaestra in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Finds include a Roman palaestra (wrestling hall), mosaics, ceramics, a council building and a columned gallery. —Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 June 2021

Word History

Etymology

Middle English palestre arena, from Latin palaestra place for wrestling, from Greek palaistra, from palaiein to wrestle

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1