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

Theresa Foley, of Sheffield, is prohibited from contacting him or his team, going within a mile of a venue where he is performing and posting about him online.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Workers at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium vowed Monday to go on strike if federal immigration enforcement agents are deployed at the venue when it hosts World Cup matches next month.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

Rhodes, 63, founded Sun Space in 2017 as a performance art venue for wayward artists who don’t properly fit the rigid mold of the Los Angeles club and bar circuit.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

He packed oversight commissions with appointees who would rubber-stamp his delusions of grandeur and did the same with the Kennedy Center, whose new board promptly renamed the performing arts venue for him.

From Slate • May 18, 2026

And with so many people involved, it seems sensible to add an element of safety to the venue.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

• locale
• place
• setting
• site