Amphitheatre

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæmfɪˌθiːətə/

Definitions

1. A round or oval building with rising tiers of seats surrounding a central performance area, historically used for gladiatorial combats or public spectacles
2. A structure featuring concentric rows of seats ascending around a central arena or stage for viewing performances or events
3. An outdoor or indoor venue with tiered seating arranged in a circular or elliptical pattern facing an open floor for entertainment or combat

Etymology: The Greek builders of the first open-air theatres had a simple map of the space in mind: a seating bowl that wrapped around a central floor. The Greek "amphithéatron" joined "amphí," meaning "on both sides" or "around," to "théatron," the place for viewing, so the name described a viewing place that surrounded its arena on every side. The Romans borrowed the idea, and their version, the amphitheatrum, was usually an oval rather than the half-circle of a Greek theatre, which let spectators look inward at the arena from every direction. The Greek and Roman forms differ in one telling way. A "théatron" was a place for seeing, and in Greek the seeing was of a play, while the "amphi" in the compound pointed to the shape of the seats rather than the show. English borrowed the Latin term directly, so the word carries both the Greek sense of surrounding seats and the Roman association with arenas used for gladiatorial contests and other spectacles.

Synonyms: theater, arena