an ancient amphitheater in Rome, begun a.d. c70 by Vespasian, having the form of an oval 617 by 512 feet (188 by 156 meters).
(lowercase) coliseum.
According to tradition, persecuted Christians (see also Christian) were fed to lions in the Colosseum for the entertainment of the Romans. (See also bread and circuses.)
Some of the contests staged in the Colosseum were between gladiators, who fought with swords; some were between people and animals. The arena could even be flooded for mock sea battles.
< Latin, noun use of neuter of colossēus gigantic < Greek kolossiaîos, equivalent to koloss ( ós ) colossus + -iaios adj. suffix
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Parton had postponed her six-date run at The Colosseum Theatre at Caesars Palace from December 2025 to September 2026 to deal with "health challenges".
From BBC • May 4, 2026
Conservationists also point to Dateline’s history operating the Colosseum Mine as a source of concern, saying the company flouted National Park Service rules and damaged the surrounding landscape.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Their friendship led to a role in Lee’s 1972 film “Return of the Dragon,” in which the two faced off in the Colosseum in Rome.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
Tourists and taxi drivers have been forced to make lengthy detours, but the Colosseum Archaeological Park remained open to visitors.
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
Stick figures waving from in front of the Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, on top of a mountain, on the back of a dragon.
From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
