theater

/ˈθiədər/

/ˈθɪətə/

Other forms: theaters

If you are sitting in a crowd of people watching actors on a stage, you're probably in a theater. If the performance is projected on a large screen, you're in a movie theater.

The Greek word for theater (theatron) comes from the verb theasthai, meaning “behold.” You are likely to behold a play or a film inside a theater. If you've dedicated your life to theater, you are probably an actor, director or playwright. Remember when you yelled “fire!” in a crowded theater and got arrested? That wasn't funny.

Definitions of theater

1. noun

   a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
   synonyms: house, theatre

   types:

   arena theater, theater in the round

   a theater arranged with seats around at least three sides of the stage

   cinema, movie house, movie theater, movie theatre, picture palace

   a theater where films are shown

   dinner theater, dinner theatre

   a theater at which dinner is included in the price of admission

   home theater, home theatre

   television and video equipment designed to reproduce in the home the experience of being in a movie theater

   little theater, little theatre

   a small theater for experimental drama or collegiate or community groups

   music hall, vaudeville theater, vaudeville theatre

   a theater in which vaudeville is staged

   opera, opera house

   a building where musical dramas are performed

   bioscope

   a South African movie theater

   fleapit

   an old shabby movie theater

   multiplex

   a movie theater than has several different auditoriums in the same building

   type of:

   building, edifice

   a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
2. noun

   the art of writing and producing plays
   synonyms: dramatic art, dramatics, dramaturgy, theatre

   types:

   stage

   the theater as a profession (usually `the stage')

   type of:

   communicating, communication

   the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information
3. noun

   a region in which active military operations are in progress
   “he served in the Vietnam theater for three years”

   synonyms: field, field of operations, theater of operations, theatre, theatre of operations

   type of:

   region

   a large indefinite location on the surface of the Earth