playground

American  

[pley-ground] / ˈpleɪˌgraʊnd /

noun

1. an area used for outdoor play or recreation, especially by children, and often containing recreational equipment such as slides and swings.

2. Informal. any place, environment, or facility used for recreation or amusement, as a resort.

   The tropical island is an international playground for the rich.

3. an arena of operation or activity.

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playground British  

/ ˈpleɪˌɡraʊnd /

noun

1. an outdoor area for children's play, esp one having swings, slides, etc, or adjoining a school

2. a place or region particularly popular as a sports or holiday resort

3. a sphere of activity

   reading was his private playground

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Etymology

Origin of playground

First recorded in 1770–80; play + ground ¹

Example Sentences

"You have to keep in mind that the mountains are a magnificent playground, a field of adventures," he says.

From BBC

Going to the pool and the zoo and the playground.

From Literature

At least five more times before first period — on the playground, in the lavatory, in the hall.

From Literature

They looked like pouting kids on the playground—not the CEOs of OpenAI and Anthropic, two of the hottest names in the AI scene.

From The Wall Street Journal

“We’re aware of the stories, but we used them as a playground in which to play instead of drawing from them directly.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• park