stadium

American  

[stey-dee-uhm] / ˈsteɪ di əm /

noun

plural

stadiums, stadia

1. a sports arena, usually oval or horseshoe-shaped, with tiers of seats for spectators.

2. an ancient Greek course for foot races, typically semicircular, with tiers of seats for spectators.

3. an ancient Greek and Roman unit of length, the Athenian unit being equal to about 607 feet (185 meters).

4. a stage in a process or in the life of an organism.

5. Entomology. stage.

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stadium British  

/ ˈsteɪdɪəm /

noun

1. a sports arena with tiered seats for spectators

2. (in ancient Greece) a course for races, usually located between two hills providing natural slopes for tiers of seats

3. an ancient Greek measure of length equivalent to about 607 feet or 184 metres

4. (in many arthropods) the interval between two consecutive moultings

5. obsolete a particular period or stage in the development of a disease

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Etymology

Origin of stadium

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek stádion unit of distance, racecourse

Explanation

A stadium is a large outdoor venue for sports or concerts. If you were a Roman emperor, you might've watched a chariot race at a stadium, but these days you're more likely to go to a stadium to see a football game or your favorite band. The word stadium is the Latin form of the Greek stadion, which was a length of about 600 human feet. Running tracks at the earliest Greek Olympics were approximately one stadion in length, and Roman tracks of a similar size were surrounded by tiered seating — which led to the English meaning of stadium, a track or field in the middle of tiered seats.

Example Sentences

Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has made one change to his starting XV for Saturday's Women's Six Nations home game against Wales at the Affidea Stadium.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

Some 60,000 people inside Emirates Stadium all lived in fear of whichever terrible thing might happen next.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

The 25-year-old's current contract was due to expire next summer but fresh terms will keep him at Etihad Stadium until 2030, with the option of another year.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

The first Bananas broadcast on ABC will take place at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., June 27 and 28.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

On the chilly afternoon of April 10, the stands of Griffith Stadium were packed for the Washington Senators’ opening-day game against the Chicago White Sox.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• amphitheater
• field
• garden
• gymnasium