hippodrome

American  

[hip-uh-drohm] / ˈhɪp əˌdroʊm /

noun

1. an arena or structure for equestrian and other spectacles.

2. (in ancient Greece and Rome) an oval track for horse races and chariot races.

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hippodrome British  

/ ˈhɪpəˌdrəʊm /

noun

1. a music hall, variety theatre, or circus

2. (in ancient Greece or Rome) an open-air course for horse and chariot races

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Other Word Forms

• hippodromic adjective

Etymology

Origin of hippodrome

1540–50; < Latin hippodromos < Greek hippódromos, equivalent to hippo- hippo- + drómos -drome

Explanation

A hippodrome isn't a home for those massive gray mammals you see in documentaries — it's a big, open stadium that was used in ancient times for horse and chariot races. The word hippodrome comes from the Greek words hippos, meaning "horse, and dromos, meaning "road or course." In ancient civilizations, like Greece and Rome, hippodromes were bustling venues where people gathered to watch thrilling horse and chariot races. These structures were grand and circular, often packed with cheering spectators. Imagine a racetrack, but with chariots thundering around, creating a spectacle for everyone watching. Today, some modern sports stadiums are still called hippodromes, keeping the excitement of those ancient races alive in a new era.

Example Sentences

The museum suffered damage, its windows were blown out, but the explosion did not reach the necropolis nor the Roman-era triumphal arch, aqueducts and hippodrome that are also part of the site.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

On 23 October, the IDF issued evacuation orders for neighbourhoods close to the city's Roman ruins, including the remains of a necropolis and a hippodrome.

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2024

It was reported that one of the hippodrome managers chided Donaldson, saying, “What’s the use of this? Why didn’t you go somewhere?”

From Salon • Nov. 3, 2024

The vessel was probably part of a river fleet serving the sprawling and highly-developed Roman city of 45,000 people which had a hippodrome, fortifications, a forum, a palace, temples, amphitheatre, aqueducts, baths and workshops.

From Reuters • Aug. 3, 2023

Uncle Al stands in the center of the hippodrome, stupefied.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen