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Where does the word "theatre" come from? It comes from Greek theatron, passing through Latin before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "theatre" come from? It comes from Greek theatron, passing through Latin before entering English (1300s).
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.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient theatron "place for viewing", from 'theasthai', to watch; the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens seated thousands on the hillside.
- Stage 2 · Latin · ancient theatrum "theatre", Romans built freestanding stone theatres across their empire.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s theatre "a place for plays", Americans settled on the spelling 'theater' in the 1800s.