I. jim-ˈnas-tik adjective
Date: 1574
: of or relating to gymnastics : athletic
• gym·nas·ti·cal·ly -ti-k(ə-)lē adverb
II. noun
Date: 1652
1. plural but singular in construction
a. : physical exercises designed to develop strength and coordination
b. : a competitive sport in which individuals perform optional and prescribed acrobatic feats mostly on special apparatus in order to demonstrate strength, balance, and body control
2. : an exercise in intellectual or artistic dexterity
my earlier philosophic study had been an intellectual gymnastic — John Dewey
mental gymnastic s
3. : a physical feat or contortion
the gymnastic s necessary for the killer to have swung from the fire escape — E. D. Radin