English
theater
Etymology

From Middle English theater, theatre, from Old French theatre, from Latin theatrum, from Ancient Greek θέατρον, from θεάομαι ("to see", "to watch", "to observe").

Pronunciation
  • (America) IPA: /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/, /ˈθɪə.tɚ/, [ˈθi(ə)ɾɚ]
  • (Canada, Southern US) IPA: /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/, /ˈθi.eɪ.tɚ/
  • (British) IPA: /ˈθiː.ə.tə/, /ˈθɪə.tə/, /θiˈɛt.ə/, /θiˈeɪ.tə/
  • (New Zealand) IPA: /ˈθiətə/, [ˈθiə̯tɜ], [ˈθiə̯ɾɜ]
Noun

theater (American spelling)

  1. 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.
  2. A region where a particular action takes place; a specific field of action, usually with reference to war.
    His grandfather was in the Pacific theater during the war.
  3. A lecture theatre.
  4. (medicine) An operating theatre or locale for human experimentation.
    This man is about to die, get him into theater at once!
  5. (US) A cinema.
    We sat in the back row of the theater and threw popcorn at the screen.
  6. Drama or performance as a profession or art form.
    I worked in theater for twenty-five years.
  7. Any place rising by steps like the seats of a theater.
  8. (figurative, derogatory, often following a noun used attributively) A conspicuous but unproductive display of action.
    The Senate confirmation hearings were just theater.
    security theater; hygiene theater
Synonyms Translations Translations Translations

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