( BrE ) ( NAmE theater ) / ˈθɪətə(r); NAmE ˈθiːətər/ noun
1.
[ C ] a building or an outdoor area where plays and similar types of entertainment are performed :
Broadway theatres
an open-air theatre
How often do you go to the theatre ?
—see also lecture theatre
2.
[ C ] ( NAmE ) = cinema
3.
[ U ] plays considered as entertainment :
an evening of live music and theatre
( BrE )
I like music, theatre and cinema.
current ideas about what makes good theatre (= what makes good entertainment when performed)
4.
[ U ] (also the theatre [ sing. ]) the work of writing, producing and acting in plays :
I want to work in theatre.
He was essentially a man of the theatre.
5.
[ C , U ] ( BrE ) = operating theatre :
a theatre sister (= a nurse who helps during operations)
He's still in theatre .
6.
[ C , usually sing. ] theatre (of war, etc.) ( formal ) the place in which a war or fighting takes place
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French , or from Latin theatrum , from Greek theatron , from theasthai behold.