theatre

[ thee-uh-ter, theeuh - ]

/ ˈθi ə tər, ˈθiə- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR theatre ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

theater.

Words nearby theatre

theater of the absurd, theater of war, theater-in-the-round, theatergoer, theatine, theatre, theatre of cruelty, theatre of the absurd, theatre-in-the-round, theatrical, theatrical film

Definition for theatre (2 of 2)

theater

or the·a·tre

[ thee-uh-ter, theeuh- ]

/ ˈθi ə tər, ˈθiə- /

noun

a building, part of a building, or outdoor area for housing dramatic presentations, stage entertainments, or motion-picture shows.

the audience at a theatrical or motion-picture performance: The theater wept.

a theatrical or acting company.

a room or hall, fitted with tiers of seats rising like steps, used for lectures, surgical demonstrations, etc.: Students crowded into the operating theater.

the theater, dramatic performances as a branch of art; the drama: an actress devoted to the theater.

dramatic works collectively, as of literature, a nation, or an author (often preceded by the): the theater of Ibsen.

the quality or effectiveness of dramatic performance: good theater; bad theater; pure theater.

a place of action; field of operations.

a natural formation of land rising by steps or gradations.

Origin of theater

1325–75; Middle English theatre < Latin theātrum < Greek théātron seeing place, theater, equivalent to theā-, stem of theâsthai to view + -tron suffix denoting means or place

SYNONYMS FOR theater

8 arena, site, stage, setting, scene.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR theater ON THESAURUS.COM

pronunciation note for theater

Theater, an early Middle English borrowing from French, originally had its primary stress on the second syllable:

[French tey-ah-truh] /French teɪˈɑ trə/. As with many early French borrowings ( beauty, carriage, marriage ), the stress moved to the first syllable, in conformity with a common English pattern of stress, and this pattern remains the standard one for theater today:

[thee-uh-ter, theeuh-] /ˈθi ə tər, ˈθiə-/. A pronunciation with stress on the second syllable and the

[ey] /eɪ/ vowel:

[thee-ey-ter] /θiˈeɪ tər/ or sometimes

[thee-ey-ter] /ˈθiˌeɪ tər/ is characteristic chiefly of uneducated speech.

OTHER WORDS FROM theater

non·the·a·ter, adjective pre·the·a·ter, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for theatre

She reportedly studied French and Italian at Oxford before attending the prestigious Jacques Lecoq school of theatre in Paris.

Benedict Cumberbatch Announces Engagement in The Times |Tom Sykes |November 5, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
War of the Worlds (1953) I snuck into a theatre with my older brother to see this one.

Wes Craven's Favorite Scary Movies |Wes Craven |October 30, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
I was really happy that the Theatre Wing approved that idea.

Oscars Host Neil Patrick Harris on His Best and Worst Emcee Moments (VIDEO) |Neil Patrick Harris |October 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
This prompted a lengthy discussion of optics and theatre among the panelists.

Todd Brings Goatee and Game to MTP Debut |Lloyd Grove |September 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

But they also reveal a waspish, bitter man frequently disillusioned with film and theatre.

The Concealed Genius of Alec Guinness |Tom Teodorczuk |June 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
If we went to the theatre we went in full dress, preceded by torch-bearers to the princely box.

My Own Affairs |Louise, Princess of Belgium
Emeline had grown more and more infatuated with the theatre and all that pertained to it.

The Story Of Julia Page |Kathleen Norris
To-day it reads curiously as the programme of a fashionable West End theatre.

Ellen Terry and Her Sisters |T. Edgar Pemberton
Had he not loitered in the hall of the theatre, with coat-collar turned up, to hear just that?

The Education of Eric Lane |Stephen McKenna
He was delayed at the theatre by matters concerned with the scenery of the new piece they were to mount upon the morrow.

Scaramouche |Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for theatre

theatre

US theater

/ (ˈθɪətə) /

noun

a building designed for the performance of plays, operas, etc
(as modifier)a theatre ticket
(in combination)a theatregoer

a large room or hall, usually with a raised platform and tiered seats for an audience, used for lectures, film shows, etc

Also called: operating theatre a room in a hospital or other medical centre equipped for surgical operations

plays regarded collectively as a form of art

the theatre the world of actors, theatrical companies, etc the glamour of the theatre

a setting for dramatic or important events

writing that is suitable for dramatic presentation a good piece of theatre

US, Australian and NZ the usual word for cinema (def. 1)

a major area of military activity the theatre of operations

a circular or semicircular open-air building with tiers of seats

Word Origin for theatre

C14: from Latin theātrum, from Greek theatron place for viewing, from theasthai to look at; related to Greek thauma miracle

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

theatre

noun

Words nearby theatre

Definition for theatre (2 of 2)

or the·a·tre

noun

Origin of theater

SYNONYMS FOR theater

pronunciation note for theater

OTHER WORDS FROM theater

Example sentences from the Web for theatre

British Dictionary definitions for theatre

US theater

noun

Word Origin for theatre

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

theatre

noun

Words nearby theatre

Definition for theatre (2 of 2)

or the·a·tre

noun

Origin of theater

SYNONYMS FOR theater

pronunciation note for theater

OTHER WORDS FROM theater

Words related to theatre

Example sentences from the Web for theatre

British Dictionary definitions for theatre

US theater

noun

Word Origin for theatre