auditorium
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a large room or building where people gather to watch a performance or listen to a speech.
a large room or building designed for public meetings, concerts, or theatrical performances.
Simple“The school held the graduation ceremony in the new auditorium because it had enough seats for everyone.”
In context“The university's main auditorium was equipped with state-of-the-art acoustics to accommodate both academic lectures and professional orchestral performances.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
the specific part of a theatre or hall where the audience sits.
the part of a theatre, concert hall, or other public building in which the audience sits, as distinct from the stage.
Simple“The lights in the auditorium went dark just before the play started.”
In context“While the stage was cluttered with props, the auditorium remained pristine, with every velvet seat assigned to a donor for the opening night gala.”
“An orange lobbed from the auditorium narrowly missed its target; eventually, two spectators climbed on to the stage and tried to wrestle the actor off.”
“Four performers enter the auditorium and walk among us but they’re sizing up the space not the audience.”
Borrowed from Latin audītōrium, from audītōrius (“pertaining to hearing”). Equivalent to auditory + -ium.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.