arena

American  

[uh-ree-nuh] / əˈri nə /

noun

1. the oval space in the center of a Roman amphitheater for gladiatorial combats or other performances.

2. a central stage, ring, area, or the like, used for sports or other forms of entertainment, surrounded by seats for spectators.

   a boxing arena; a circus arena.

3. a building housing an arena.

4. a field of conflict, activity, or endeavor.

   the arena of politics.

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arena British  

/ əˈriːnə /

noun

1. 1. an enclosure or platform, usually surrounded by seats on all sides, in which sports events, contests, entertainments, etc, take place

      a boxing arena

   2. ( as modifier )

      arena stage

2. the central area of an ancient Roman amphitheatre, in which gladiatorial contests and other spectacles were held

3. a sphere or scene of conflict or intense activity

   the political arena

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Etymology

Origin of arena

1620–30; < Latin ( h ) arēna sand, sandy place, area sanded for combat

Example Sentences

One curiosity was seeing how well the Trailblazers would fare leaving their comfortable home court in Chatsworth to play in an arena setting.

From Los Angeles Times

After topping the charts at home and abroad with her monster hit "Man I Need" and lauded album "The Art of Loving", the 26-year-old dominated the star-studded awards ceremony at the city's Co-op Live arena.

From Barron's

The echoing aphorism is apparently nowhere truer than in cavernous Olympic hockey ice arenas.

From The Wall Street Journal

They cheer as the team makes its way to the arena.

From Los Angeles Times

As more than 100 million people watched the Super Bowl, the battle for the future of artificial intelligence spilled out into a massive public arena.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• field
• gym
• gymnasium
• park
• ring
• rink
• square
• stadium
• stage