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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Around the Colosseum, patches of shade were few and far between.
From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026
He transformed the White House lawn into a makeshift Colosseum and held a modern-day gladiatorial spectacle, officially called UFC Freedom 250.
From Salon • Jun. 16, 2026
"People have always wanted to watch other people doing crazy stuff," he says, comparing the mass appeal of those gathered in pursuit of cheese on Cooper's Hill to "gladiators fighting in the Colosseum in Rome".
From BBC • May 22, 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
Julius knew he had only minutes before Caesar realized what had happened—that they had passed out of the Colosseum to freedom instead of into the cellars where they belonged.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
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.
