amphitheatre
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a round or oval outdoor building with seats that go up in steps around a central stage.
a circular or oval building, typically unroofed, with a central space for the presentation of dramatic or sporting events surrounded by tiers of seats for spectators.
Simple“The tourists visited the ancient Roman amphitheatre to see where the gladiators once fought.”
In context“The city's modern amphitheatre serves as a premier venue for summer concerts, offering excellent sightlines from every tiered section.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
a natural area, like a valley or mountain slope, that is shaped like a bowl and makes sound travel well.
a natural formation of land, such as a semicircular valley or rock basin, that resembles a man-made amphitheatre and often possesses acoustic properties.
Simple“The hikers rested in a natural amphitheatre formed by the surrounding red cliffs.”
In context“Geological erosion created a vast amphitheatre in the canyon, which now acts as a natural sounding board for the local wildlife's calls.”
“A prime example is the colossal amphitheater at Italica (Santiponce, Seville), one of the largest in the empire, capable of hosting all kinds of gladiatorial spectacles—including venationes—in a city of barely 8,000 inhabitants.”
“Wagner and his architects modelled the auditorium on the ancient Greek amphitheatre, after all.”
From Latin amphitheatrum, from Ancient Greek ἀμφιθέατρον (amphithéatron) from ἀμφί (amphí, “on both sides”) + θέᾱτρον (théātron, “theatre”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.