- a variation of theater.
theatre
Americannoun
noun
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a building designed for the performance of plays, operas, etc
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( as modifier )
a theatre ticket
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( in combination )
a theatregoer
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a large room or hall, usually with a raised platform and tiered seats for an audience, used for lectures, film shows, etc
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Also called: operating theatre. a room in a hospital or other medical centre equipped for surgical operations
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plays regarded collectively as a form of art
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the world of actors, theatrical companies, etc
the glamour of the theatre
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a setting for dramatic or important events
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writing that is suitable for dramatic presentation
a good piece of theatre
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the usual word for cinema
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a major area of military activity
the theatre of operations
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a circular or semicircular open-air building with tiers of seats
Etymology
Origin of theatre
C14: from Latin theātrum, from Greek theatron place for viewing, from theasthai to look at; related to Greek thauma miracle
Explanation
A theatre is the place where plays are performed, especially in England, because the normal American spelling of theatre is theater. If you're looking for a night of drama and astonishment, try going to the theatre. Theatre comes from the Ancient Greek theatron, which means a place for showing, or performing. Now we call the place and the stuff performed the same thing. There are theatres where other things happen than plays. A theatre of war is the area in which a war is taking place. If you're fascinated by war but don't have the nerve to be a soldier, why not make theatre about war?
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Davies was still in costume, her stage microphone still in place, when she recorded her Insta post, which she called "your daily reminder not to film at the theatre".
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Nigel Farage has long had a capacity for political theatre – and here he goes again.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
One of Sir Tom's plays, Arcadia, is currrently playing at the theatre, which will have its signage changed to the new name in the next few months.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Naming the theatre after Sir Tom, who died in November 2025, "felt like the right and natural way to keep him among us", said Andrew Rawlinson, ATG Entertainment's business director in London.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
His parents sent him to school in England, where he excelled academically and developed an interest in theatre and writing.
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
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.
