The gymnasium in ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games. It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits. The name comes from the Greek term gymnos meaning naked. Athletes competed in the nude, a practice said to encourage aesthetic appreciation of the male body and a tribute to the Gods.
Gymnasium is a Latin and English derivative of the original Greek noun gymnasion. Gymnasion is derived from the common Greek adjective gymnos (γυμνός), meaning “naked”, by way of the related verb gymnazein, whose meaning is “to do physical exercise”. The verb had this meaning because one undressed for exercise. Hence the noun, which appears to mean “place to be naked”, means “place for physical exercise”. Historically, the gymnasium was used for exercise, communal bathing, and scholarly and philosophical pursuits. The English noun gymnast, first recorded in 1594, is formed from the Greek gymnastēs, but in Greek this word means “trainer” not “gymnast”. The palaistra was the part of the gymnasium devoted to wrestling, boxing and ball games.
