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Webster 1913 Edition


Palaestra


Pa-læs′tra

,
Noun.
See
Palestra
.

Definition 2024


Palaestra

Palaestra

See also: palaestra and palæstra

Latin

Proper noun

Palaestra f (genitive Palaestrae); first declension

  1. A female given name, character in the play Rudens of Plautus.

palaestra

palaestra

See also: Palaestra and palæstra

English

Alternative forms

Noun

palaestra (plural palaestras or palaestrae)

  1. (historical) A public area in ancient Greece and Rome dedicated to the teaching and practice of wrestling and other sports; a wrestling school, a gymnasium. [from 15th c.]
    • 1990, Camille Paglia, Sexual Personae:
      Athenian culture flourished in externalities, the open air of the agora and the nudity of the palestra.
  2. An arena for literal or figurative combat; a battlefield. [from 15th c.]

Translations


Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek παλαίστρα (palaístra, wrestling school).

Pronunciation

Noun

palaestra f (genitive palaestrae); first declension

  1. wrestling school, palaestra; place of exercise; gymnasium
  2. wrestling
  3. (figuratively) rhetorical exercises; school of rhetoric, school
  4. (figuratively) art, skill; dexterity
  5. (figuratively, in the language of comedy) brothel

Inflection

First declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative palaestra palaestrae
genitive palaestrae palaestrārum
dative palaestrae palaestrīs
accusative palaestram palaestrās
ablative palaestrā palaestrīs
vocative palaestra palaestrae

Synonyms

  • (wrestling school): oleum

Related terms

Descendants

References