physical education
noun
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The Importance (Linguistic and Otherwise) of Physical Education
Physical education has existed since ancient times, but it wasn’t until several hundred years ago that the term itself (abbreviated as phys ed or PE) came into being. Its earliest known use comes, oddly enough, from a 1748 book titled Critical Reflections on Poetry, Painting, and Music: “Cannot some years prove more favorable than others to the physical education of children. . . ?” A few decades after these words were published, gymnasiums opened across Europe, especially in Germany, where gymnastics associations (or turnvereins) fostered physical health as well as civic involvement and cultural enrichment. Thanks in part to immigration, these clubs, and European enthusiasm for athletics in general, spread to the U.S. During the 19th century, American educators adopted European methods of teaching physical training, and both the word physical education and the phenomenon it represents became well established in this country.
Examples of physical education in a Sentence
Annie Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 7 Aug. 2024
Her father Val Whipple worked a physical education teacher for a dual-school, as well as a coach.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 6 Aug. 2024
Nancy Anderson, a physical education teacher at Wimbish Elementary in Arlington, raised money for months to secure her spot in the relay.
—Sara Pezzoni, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2024
My plan was just to be a physical education teacher.
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 6 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for physical education 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'physical education.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Physical education.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physical%20education. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.
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