gym

IPA/dʒɪm/
KK[dʒˈɪm]IPA/dʒɪm/

gym — noun

  • gymsingular
  • gymsplural

1. a building or room fitted with machines, free weights, and other gear for workin

1.nounA2
Definition

a building or room fitted with machines, free weights, and other gear for working out and keeping healthy

Example

Élise goes to the gym three times a week after work.

go to the gym for regular workouts

The gym near Vinícius's house has brand-new weightlifting machines.

Common collocations
  • go to the gym
  • join a gym
  • work out at the gym
  • gym membership
  • gym equipment
  • hit the gym (informal)
Synonyms
  • fitness centre

    slightly more formal; often implies a larger facility with additional services such as classes or a pool

  • health club

    emphasises the well-being aspect; may include a sauna, steam room, or café

  • sports centre

    broader meaning — includes courts, pitches, and swimming pools, not just exercise machines

Usage Note

When people say 'the gym' without naming a specific club, they usually mean a local fitness centre they regularly attend. 'Gym' can refer to the whole establishment or just the room where the machines are kept.

Common Mistakes

I did gym this morning.
I went to the gym this morning.
'gym' (sense 1) names the place, not the activity of exercising.

2. a large room in a school where students play sports, do physical activities, and

2.nounA1
Definition

a large room in a school where students play sports, do physical activities, and hold assemblies or events

Example

The school gym has a basketball court at one end and climbing ropes at the other.

describing the layout of a school gym

All the students gathered in the gym for the end-of-year ceremony.

Common collocations
  • school gym
  • in the gym
  • gym teacher
  • gym class
  • gymnasium (formal equivalent)
Synonyms
  • sports hall

    common in British English for a multi-purpose indoor sports space

3. a school class in which children do physical exercises, play sports, and learn a

3.nounA1
Definition

a school class in which children do physical exercises, play sports, and learn about staying active

Example

Gita has gym class every Tuesday and Thursday morning.

gym class for the school subject

The children changed into their sports clothes before gym started.

Common collocations
  • gym class
  • have gym
  • gym teacher
  • gym clothes / kit
  • skip gym (informal)
Synonyms
  • PE

    the standard abbreviation for 'physical education', used in both British and American school timetables

  • physical education

    the full formal name for the school subject

Usage Note

In American English this subject is usually called 'physical education' or 'PE'. 'Gym' (sense 3) is informal and more common in everyday student conversation. It is not usually capitalised and does not take an article: 'I have gym now', not 'I have a gym now'.

Common Mistakes

I have a gym at 10 a.m.
I have gym at 10 a.m.
when referring to the class as a subject, do not use an article before 'gym'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three refer to places where people exercise, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Gym' is the most common everyday word for a room or club with exercise machines and weights. 'Fitness centre' is slightly more formal and often used in marketing — it suggests a full-service facility with classes, personal trainers, and sometimes a pool. 'Health club' adds a wellness focus and may include a sauna, steam room, or café, making it sound more lifestyle-oriented than a basic gym. 'Sports centre' has the broadest meaning: it includes courts, pitches, and swimming pools, not just weight rooms. For example: 'I go to a gym to lift weights', but 'Our local sports centre has tennis courts and a swimming pool.'

fitness centrehealth club ↗sports centre

Common collocations

Nouns

  • gym membership
  • gym equipment
  • gym clothes
  • gym class
  • gym teacher
  • gym bag

Phrases

  • go to the gym
  • join a gym
  • work out at the gym
  • hit the gym (informal)
  • have gym (as a subject)

Prepositions

  • at the gym
  • to the gym
  • in the gym

Etymology

Ancient GreekLatinEnglish

'Gym' is a shortened form of 'gymnasium', which came into English from Latin gymnasium, borrowed from Ancient Greek gymnasion (γυμνάσιον). The Greek word comes from gymnos (γυμνός), meaning 'naked' — because Greek athletes trained without clothes. The sense gradually shifted from a place for athletic training to the modern fitness facility we know today.