Dictionary

theatre en · NOUN

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyh₂-der. Ancient Greek θεάομαι (theáomai) Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Hellenic *-tron Ancient Greek -τρον (-tron) Ancient Greek θέᾱτρον (théātron)der. Latin theātrumbor. Old French teatrebor. Middle English theater, theatre English theatre From Middle English theater, theatre, from Old French theatre, from Latin theatrum, from Ancient Greek θέατρον (théatron, “a place for viewing”), from θεάομαι (theáomai, “to see, watch, observe”).

Meanings

1. (Australia, Canada, Hong-Kong, New-Zealand, UK, alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable) Alternative spelling of theater.
   alt of theater
   • Mother[…]considered that the exclusiveness of Peter's circle was due not to its distinction, but to the fact that it was an inner Babylon of prodigality and whoredom, from which every Kensingtonian held aloof, except on the conventional tip-and-run excursions in pursuit of shopping, tea and theatres. 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 2, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
   • City's players and supporters travelled from one end of the emotional scale to the other in those vital seconds, providing a truly remarkable piece of football theatre and the most dramatic conclusion to a season in Premier League history. 2012 May 13, Phil McNulty, “Man City 3-2 QPR”, in BBC Sport:
   • But the picture was different elsewhere - Theatre Royal Windsor recorded full houses, although the managing director stated that the actors had trouble getting to and from the theatre. 2023 December 27, David Turner, “Silent lines...”, in RAIL, number 999, page 31:
2. (Australia, Canada, New-Zealand, South-Asia, countable, rare, uncountable) A cinema; movie theatre.

Forms

Deriveds

theatremaking · theatrette · theatric · theatre organ · antitheatre · street theatre · theatreland · theatrelike · theatrewide · metatheatre · pretheatre · theater-goer · theatrophile · theatregoer · theatreless · multitheatre · studio theatre · theatrophobia · cybertheatre · theatromania · theatrescape · theatregoing · theatremaker · theatreperson · theatre-goer · theatercore