gymnasium

[Lat.. from Gr. gym nasion, from gymnazo to train naked, to exercise, from gymnos naked.] 1. A building or place where athletic exercises are practiced or performed; a place where athletes exercise and train. " Gymnasium properly signifies the place were people exercise themselves being stript."- Grew : Cosmologia Sacra , bk. iv., ch. viii. 2. A school or place of instruction for the higher branches of literature and science. from Gr. gymnikos, from gymnos -naked.] A. As adj .: Pertaining to or connected with athletic exercises; practicing or performing gymnastics. " Gymnick artists, wrestlers, riders, runners." Milton: Samson Agonistes, 1,325. B. As subst.: Gymnastics; athletic exercises. *gym-nic-al, a. [Eng. gymnic; -al.] Gymnic, gymnastic. "Gymnical exercises at Pitana." - Potter: Antiq. of Greece , bk. ii., ch. xx. gym-nīte, s. [Gr. gymnos naked, and suff. -ite (Min.) (q. v.). Named from Bare Hills, where it was found.] Min.: The same as DEWEYLITE (q. v.). The Brit . Mus . Catal . makes Gymnite the name, and reduces Deweylite to a synonym. gym-no-, pref. [Gr.gymnos=naked.] 1. Anat ., Zool . , & c .: Naked; destitute of hairs, a shell, or other protective covering. 2. Bot .: Destitute of a pericarp or other covering. gym-no-blăstic, a. [Pref. gym no- , and Greek blastos a sprout, a shoot, a sucker; and suff. -ic .] Zool .: Not having the nutritive and reproductive buds protected by horny receptacles. Used of the Hydrozoa. ( Allman.)