amphitheater
American Heritage Dictionary:
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am·phi·the·a·ter
(ăm'fə-thē'ə-tər) 
n.
amphitheatrically am'phi·the·at'ri·cal·ly adv.
n.
- An oval or round structure having tiers of seats rising gradually outward from a central open space or arena.
- An arena where contests and spectacles are held.
- A level area surrounded by upward sloping ground.
- An upper, sloping gallery with seats for spectators, as in a theater or operating room.
[Middle English amphitheatre, from Latin amphitheātrum, from Greek amphitheātron : amphi-, amphi- + theātron, theater; see theater.]
amphitheatric am'phi·the·at'ric (-ăt'rĭk) or am'phi·the·at'ri·cal adj.amphitheatrically am'phi·the·at'ri·cal·ly adv.
Fowler's Modern English Usage:
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amphitheatre
(amphi-, not ampi-) is a word for a type of ancient Roman arena that forms a complete circle, like the Colosseum in Rome. It was used mainly for gladiatorial spectacles. It is not an alternative word for an ancient theatre used for drama (such as the one at Epidaurus in southern Greece), which was typically open at one end.
| ampersand, amount, number, among, amongst | |
| ample, an, anaemia, anaemic |
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia:
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amphitheater
Freestanding, open-air round or oval structure with a central arena and tiers of concentric seats. The amphitheater originated in ancient Italy (Etruria and Campania) and reflects the entertainment forms popular there, including gladiatorial games and contests of animals with one another or of men with animals. The earliest extant amphitheater is one built at Pompeii ( 80 ). Examples survive throughout the former provinces of the Roman empire, the most famous being Rome's Colosseum.
For more information on amphitheater, visit Britannica.com.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture & Construction:
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amphitheater, amphitheater
1. A circular, semicircular, or elliptical auditorium in which a central arena is surrounded by rising tiers of seats.
2. (Brit.) The first section of seats in the gallery of a theater.
3. Any outdoor theater, esp. of the classical Greek type.
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Columbia Encyclopedia:
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amphitheater, amphitheater
amphitheater (ăm'fəthē'ətər, ăm'pə-), open structure used for the exhibition of gladiatorial contests, struggles of wild beasts, sham sea battles, and similar spectacles. There is no Greek prototype of amphitheaters, which were primarily Roman and were built in many cities throughout the empire. More or less well-preserved examples are at Rome (see Colosseum), Verona, and Capua in Italy; at Nîmes and Arles in France; at Cirencester in England; and at sites in Sicily, Greece, and North Africa. The typical amphitheater was elliptical in shape, with seats, supported on vaults of masonry, rising in many tiers around an arena at the center; corridors and stairs facilitated the circulation of great throngs. The arena itself was usually built over the quarters for gladiators, wild animals, and storage. Until the erection of the Colosseum (A.D. 80), practically all amphitheaters were of wood, the notable exception being that of stone built at Pompeii c.70 B.C. The word amphitheater is now applied to modern structures which may bear little resemblance to their ancient prototypes.
Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'amphitheater'
- Types of Buildings - amphitheater: roofless oval or circle with rising tiers of seats
- Theatrical Forms and Venues - amphitheater: large, esp. round, outdoor space with raised tiers of seats around a stage; originally a natural dip
Bradford's Crossword Solver's Dictionary:
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amphitheater
See crossword solutions for the clue Amphitheatre.
Translations:
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Amphitheatre
Dansk (Danish)
n. - amfiteater
Français (French)
n. - amphithéâtre, arènes, cirque
Deutsch (German)
n. - Amphitheater
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - αμφιθέατρο, (ιατρ.) χειρουργείο
Português (Portuguese)
n. - anfiteatro (m) (Arquit.)
Español (Spanish)
n. - anfiteatro
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - amfiteater
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
圆形剧场, 竞技场
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 圓形劇場, 競技場
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 원형 경기장, 계단식[좌석, 교실, 광장]
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 円形演技場, アンフィシアター
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - אמפיתיאטרון, יציע חצי-מעגלי בתיאטרון, חלל עגול גדול, מקום תחרות
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American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture & Construction
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Columbia Encyclopedia
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.
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Random House Word Menu
© 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier.
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Bradford's Crossword Solver's Dictionary
Collins Bradford's Crossword Solver's Dictionary © Anne Bradford, 1986, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008
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