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    theater

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    theater
    thea‧tre S2 W2 British English, theater American English /ˈθɪətə $ -ər/ noun
     Date: 1300-1400
     Language: Old French
     Origin: theatre, from Latin, from Greek theatron, from theasthai 'to watch'
    1.  BUILDING  [countable] a building or place with a stage where plays and shows are performed:
        an open-air theatre (=a theatre that is outside)
        the Mercury Theater
    2.  PLAYS  [uncountable]
      a. plays as a form of entertainment:
        I enjoy theater and swimming.
        the theatre
        He’s really interested in literature and the theatre.
        Yeats’ plays are great poetry but they are not good theatre (=good entertainment).
      b. the work of acting in, writing, or organizing plays:
        classes in theater and music
        in the theatre
        She’s been working in the theatre over thirty years.
    3.  PLACE TO SEE A FILM  [countable] American English a building where films are shown
       SYN  movie theater American English, cinema British English:
        ‘Bambi’ was the first movie I ever saw in the theater.
    4.  HOSPITAL  [uncountable and countable] British English a special room in a hospital where medical operations are done
       SYN  operating room American English
        in theatre
        Marilyn is still in theatre.
    5.  WAR  [countable] formal a large area where a war is being fought:
        the Pacific theater during World War II
         
    THESAURUS
       ▪ stage the raised area on which the actors, musicians etc perform: He came on stage to rapturous applause. | The band will appear live on stage for the first time in three years.
       ▪ the stalls British English, the orchestra American English the lower level of seats: He had a seat in the stalls. | We paid $100 for a seat in the orchestra.
       ▪ the circle British English, the balcony the higher level of seats: They were sitting in the balcony.
       ▪ the orchestra pit the space below the stage where the musicians sit: The actress fell into the orchestra pit.
       ▪ box office the place in a theatre where you buy tickets: Collect your tickets at the box office.
       ▪ programme British English, program American English a small book that you buy when you go to the theatre that gives information about the play and the performers: His name is not in the programme. | Do you want me to buy you a program?
       ▪ interval British English, intermission BrE formal and American English a short period of time between the parts of a play or show when the audience can talk or have a drink: We got a drink in the interval.