venue

American  

[ven-yoo] / ˈvɛn yu /

noun

1. Law.

   1. the place of a crime or cause of action.

   2. the county or place where the jury is gathered and the cause tried.

   3. the designation, in the pleading, of the jurisdiction where a trial will be held.

   4. the statement naming the place and person before whom an affidavit was sworn.

2. the scene or locale of any action or event.

3. the position taken by a person engaged in argument or debate; ground.

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venue British  

/ ˈvɛnjuː /

noun

1. law

   1. the place in which a cause of action arises

   2. the place fixed for the trial of a cause

   3. the locality from which the jurors must be summoned to try a particular cause

2. a meeting place

3. any place where an organized gathering, such as a rock concert or public meeting, is held

4. a position in an argument

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Etymology

Origin of venue

1300–50; Middle English venue an attack < Middle French: literally, a coming, Old French, feminine past participle of venir to come < Vulgar Latin *venūta, for Latin venta, equivalent to ven ( īre ) to come + -ta feminine past participle suffix

Explanation

A venue is the place where an event or meeting is happening. If you're going to see the best band ever, you should get to the venue early to get a good seat. Venue is derived from the Latin for "come" (venire), and it's a place people come to. Another meaning of venue is specific to the law as the place where a trial will be held, and the area from which the jury will be selected. If you're on trial for stealing, and you're known around town as "Sticky Fingers Magoo," your lawyer would wisely request a change of venue to give you a better shot at a fair trial.

Example Sentences

He said the legislation was "unworkable and damaging", adding pubs in particular would be "really disadvantaged", as the buffer rule means they cannot set up a temporary campsite within 100 metres of their venue.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

Sayles says she also thought the group’s experience of Los Angeles would lend itself well to the overall theme of the venue.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

Nasdaq Texas is a legally domiciled equity exchange venue in the state of Texas.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

“It has become the go-to venue for price discovery for something you can’t trade otherwise,” said Stephen Coltman, head of macro at 21shares, about the Hyperliquid ecosystem.

From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026

“I liked Monsieur Lefèvre. The venue for my challenge was a more intimate one, and this seemed unique. It is rare to discover places that are truly unique. I stayed to observe.”

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

• locale
• place
• setting
• site