Etymology Map
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Theatre

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a building or art form for performing plays

Where does the word "theatre" come from? It comes from Greek theatron, passing through Latin before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
theatron
Greek · ancient
"place for viewing"
from 'theasthai', to watch; the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens seated thousands on the hillside
2
Stage 2 of 3
theatrum
Latin · ancient
"theatre"
Romans built freestanding stone theatres across their empire
3
Stage 3 of 3
theatre
English · 1300s
"a place for plays"
Americans settled on the spelling 'theater' in the 1800s
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Read the full story

Theatre’s story begins in Greek: theatron meant “place for viewing.” From 'theasthai', to watch; the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens seated thousands on the hillside. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as theatrum. Romans built freestanding stone theatres across their empire. It reached English by 1300s as theatre. Americans settled on the spelling 'theater' in the 1800s. Today, theatre means a building or art form for performing plays.