theatre
gb/θˈiətɚ/ us/θˈiətɚ/
A2
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Building for live performances
A place where people go to watch plays, shows, or other live performances.
Usage pattern:
[someone] goes to the theatre
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'theatre' with 'cinema', but a theatre is for live shows, not movies.
Synonyms
playhouse (More traditional or old-fashioned term for a theatre building.)
Antonyms
cinema (A place where films are shown instead of live performances.)
Collocations
go to the theatre
|theatre performance
|local theatre
|theatre ticket
|theatre company
Themes
entertainment
|arts
|culture
|arts_entertainment
|daily_life
Examples
- We saw a Shakespeare play at the theatre last night.
- The new theatre in town seats over 500 people.
- She has been working at the local theatre for three years.
- The theatre was nearly full when the show started.
Learner examples
- I went to the theatre with my friends.
- The theatre is in the city center.
- We watched a play at the theatre.
- She works at the theatre.
Noun
B1
entity
2
Art of stage performance
The work and skill of acting in or making plays and shows for the stage.
Usage pattern:
[someone] studies theatre
Common mistake:
Some learners use 'theatres' to mean 'plays', but 'theatre' here refers to the general art form.
Synonyms
drama (Often refers to serious plays or the academic study of performance.)
Collocations
study theatre
|theatre director
|theatre school
|theatre production
Themes
arts
|culture
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- He decided to major in theatre at university.
- The festival celebrates local theatre and dance groups.
- Her career in theatre began when she was just 16.
- Theatre requires teamwork between actors, directors, and crew.
Learner examples
- She is studying theatre at college.
- He wants to work in theatre.
- Theatre is her passion.
- Many people enjoy working in theatre.
Noun
A2
entity
3
US movie theater meaning
In American English, a place where you can watch movies on a big screen.
Usage pattern:
[someone] goes to the theatre to watch [a movie]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse British and American usage: in British English, 'theatre' usually means live performance venue, not cinema.
Synonyms
cinema (Preferred term in British English for a movie house.)
Collocations
movie theatre
|go to the theatre
|theatre chain
Themes
entertainment
|arts_entertainment
|daily_life
Examples
- We went to the theatre to see the new superhero movie.
- That theatre has the best popcorn in town.
- The theatre was packed for the premiere.
Learner examples
- I went to the theatre to watch a film.
- We saw a movie at the theatre.
- The theatre is near my house.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
4
Area of military operations
An area where fighting happens during a war.
Synonyms
battlefront (More specific to the actual line of combat rather than the whole region.)
Collocations
theatre of war
|Pacific theatre
|European theatre
Themes
military
|politics
|law
Examples
- He served in the European theatre during World War II.
- The conflict spread to a new theatre of operations.
- Troops were deployed to the Pacific theatre.
Learner examples
- He fought in the European theatre.
- The Pacific theatre was very large.
- Many soldiers were sent to this theatre.
Grammar
Dictionary form
theatre
IPA
GB/θˈiətɚ/
US/θˈiətɚ/
Syllables & stress
theatre (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (theatre)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: theatre
- Variant Spelling: theater
- Plural: theatre, theatres
Word family
Forms
theater
noun A2
theatres
noun
Core family
theatrical
adjective B2
Related words
theatregoer
noun
Advanced or less common
theatrically
adverb
theatricality
noun
Highlights
- Spelling Variant: theater Noun
Expressions
go to the theatre
1/ɡˈoʊ tə ðə θˈiətɚ/
fixed phrase
Attend live performance venue
To visit a place where plays or shows are performed live.
Examples
- We plan to go to the theatre this weekend.
- She loves going to the theatre whenever she visits London.
musical theatre
1/mjˈuzɪkəl θˈiətɚ/
fixed phrase
Stage genre with music and dance
Plays that have songs, music, and dancing as part of the story.
Examples
- He has worked in musical theatre for over a decade.
- Musical theatre is popular on Broadway.
political theatre
1/pəlˈɪtɪkəl θˈiətɚ/
fixed phrase
Politics done for show
Political actions that are done mostly to get attention, not to make real changes.
Examples
- Critics dismissed the speech as mere political theatre.
- The protest was seen as political theatre by opponents.
theatre of war
1/θˈiətɚ əv wˈɔɹ/
fixed phrase
technical
Region of active conflict
An area where war is happening.
Examples
- Many soldiers lost their lives in that theatre of war.
- The country sent more troops to the northern theatre of war.