theatre

[thee-uh-ter, theeuh-]

noun

1. a variant of theater.

theatre

/ ˈθɪətə /

noun

1. 1. a building designed for the performance of plays, operas, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a theatre ticket

   3. ( in combination )

      a theatregoer

2. a large room or hall, usually with a raised platform and tiered seats for an audience, used for lectures, film shows, etc

3. Also called: operating theatre. a room in a hospital or other medical centre equipped for surgical operations

4. plays regarded collectively as a form of art

5. the world of actors, theatrical companies, etc

   the glamour of the theatre

6. a setting for dramatic or important events

7. writing that is suitable for dramatic presentation

   a good piece of theatre

8. the usual word for cinema

9. a major area of military activity

   the theatre of operations

10. a circular or semicircular open-air building with tiers of seats

Word History and Origins

Origin of theatre¹

C14: from Latin theātrum, from Greek theatron place for viewing, from theasthai to look at; related to Greek thauma miracle

Example Sentences

Shepherd also had numerous film roles and was a playwright and theatre director.

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Heading into the operating theatre, Sir Terence reflected how he felt under immense pressure to succeed.

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"From theatre to film and television, he brought us laughter, emotion, comfort and courage," the president wrote on Facebook.

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Under the harsh lights of an operating theatre in the Indian capital, Delhi, a woman lies motionless as surgeons prepare to remove her gallbladder.

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I must’ve been nine or ten, doing a community theatre production of “How to Eat Like a Child – And Other Lessons in Not Being a Grown-up.”

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Related Words

• theater 
• troupe