theater

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

A place or building, consisting of a stage and seating, in which an audience gathers to watch plays, musical performances, public ceremonies, and so on.
A region where a particular action takes place; a specific field of action, usually with reference to war.
A lecture theatre.
An operating theatre or locale for human experimentation.
A cinema.
Drama or performance as a profession or art form.
Any place rising by steps like the seats of a theater.
A conspicuous but unproductive display of action.

Pronunciation

/ˈθi(ə)tɚ/ /ˈθɪə.tɚ/ En-us-theatre.ogg /ˈθi.eɪ.tɚ/ /ˈθiː.ə.tə/ /ˈθɪə.tə/ /θiˈɛt.ə/ /θiˈeɪ.tə/ En-uk-theatre.ogg /ˈθiətə/ [ˈθiə̯tɜ] [ˈθiə̯ɾɜ] en-au-theatre.ogg

Word forms

theater theaters theatre

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English theater, theatre, from Old French theatre, from Latin theātrum, from Ancient Greek θέᾱτρον (théātron, “a place for viewing”), from θεᾰ́ομαι (theắomai, “to see", "to watch", "to observe”). Doublet of tiatr.

Synonyms

playhouse fabulous invalid

Related words

amphitheater

Derived words

theaterette theaterless theaterwide theatral theatric theatrical theatrically atmospheric theater boat-in theater dinner theater dubbing theater guerrilla theater home theater hygiene theater illegitimate theater kabuki theater legitimate theater movie theater moving-picture theater musical theater security theater senior theater shout fire in a crowded theater shouting fire in a crowded theater stock theater street theater theatergoer theatergoing theater-in-the-round theater in the round theater kid theaterland theater of cruelty theater of fact theater of panic theater of protest theater of the absurd theater of the mind theater of the streets theater of war theatremaker theatermaker variety theater

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

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