PE is a school subject: sport and other physical activity taught in class. The letters stand for physical education. In PE you run, stretch, play ball games, swim, or learn how to move your body in a healthy way. It is not a desk subject like maths or history. You usually change into sports clothes and go to the gym, the field, or the playground. Teachers and students say PE for the lesson itself ('We have PE after lunch') and sometimes for the teacher ('Ask the PE teacher'). You may also see it written P.E., with dots. In many schools it is a required class, even if some students do not enjoy sport. Outside school, English speakers rarely say PE for a workout at a gym; they say gym, sport, or exercise instead.