amphitheater

American  

[am-fuh-thee-uh-ter, -thee^uh-ter, am-puh-] / ˈæm fəˌθi ə tər, -ˌθiə tər, ˈæm pə- /

Or amphitheatre

noun

1. an open-air, oval or round building with tiers of seats around a central open area, as those used in ancient Rome for gladiatorial contests.

2. any similar indoor or outdoor place for public contests, games, performances, exhibitions, etc.; an arena, stadium, or auditorium.

3. a room having tiers of seats arranged around a central area, in which students and other observers can view surgery, hear lectures, etc.

4. British.

   1. the first section of seats in the gallery of a theater.

   2. a designated section of seats in any part of a theater.

5. a level area of oval or circular shape surrounded by rising ground.

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Other Word Forms

• amphitheatric adjective
• amphitheatrical adjective
• amphitheatrically adverb

Etymology

Origin of amphitheater

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin amphitheātrum, from Greek amphithéātron; amphi-, theater

Explanation

The "amphi" of amphitheater means "on both sides" in Greek. Ancient amphitheaters were exactly as described: open-air theaters that allowed spectators to sit on both sides of the action. Today, the word amphitheater is used to mean any large, semicircular theater space. Often, although not always, they are outdoor spaces where concerts, theater, and other performances can be held. The Hollywood Bowl is an example of a modern amphitheater, where groups like Monty Python and the Beatles have performed. An amphitheater is also a large gallery overlooking an operating room in a hospital — usually used for teaching purposes.

Example Sentences

What he wants is a chance to argue to a judge that the city’s speech rules are unenforceable, so he “may return to the amphitheater to speak without fear of further punishment,” Justice Kagan writes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Its centerpiece, the lodge-like Davies Building, was all but obliterated by the fire, and its amphitheater, while still intact, suffered notable damage.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

An evangelical preacher challenged a city ordinance under the First and 14th amendments that confined protestors to a designated zone outside a public amphitheater in Brandon, Mississippi.

From Slate • Jan. 8, 2026

A street preacher in Brandon, Miss., Mr. Olivier was fined $304 for violating an ordinance restricting protests near a city amphitheater.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

The landscape was dotted with buildings that looked like ancient Greek architecture—an open-air pavilion, an amphitheater, a circular arena—except that they all looked brand new, their white marble columns sparkling in the sun.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• auditorium