- [countable] a building or an outdoor area where plays and similar types of entertainment are performed
- Broadway theatres
- an open-air theatre
- How often do you go to the theatre?
- She left the theatre a few minutes after the curtain fell.
Extra ExamplesTopics Buildingsa1, Film and theatrea1- I haven't been to the theatre for a long time.
- The city's first purpose-built theatre is nearing completion.
- The pier has a unique little puppet theatre.
- The theatre was packed for the opening night.
- There's a bar in the theatre.
- We were at the theatre last night.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- large
- little
- small
- …
- go to
- visit
- enter
- …
- seat
- ticket
- design
- …
- at a/the theatre
- in a/the theatre
- (also movie theater)(both North American English)(British English cinema)[countable] a building in which films are shown
- They arrived at the movie theater a few minutes later.
- I urge you to go see this film when it comes to a theater near you.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- large
- little
- small
- …
- go to
- visit
- enter
- …
- seat
- ticket
- design
- …
- at a/the theatre
- in a/the theatre
- [uncountable] plays considered as entertainment
- an evening of live music and theatre
- (British English) I like music, theatre and cinema.
- current ideas about what makes good theatre (= what makes good entertainment when performed)
- We're huge fans of musical theatre.
- live/street/youth theatre
- a theatre critic
Extra ExamplesTopics Film and theatrea2- There was some good fringe theatre at the festival.
- an hour-long theatre piece
- the Toronto theatre scene
- (figurative) The Chancellor's speech was an absorbing piece of political theatre.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- good
- great
- live
- …
- piece
- study
- studies
- critic
- piece
- …
- [uncountable] (also the theatre [singular])the work of writing, producing and acting in plays
- I want to work in theatre.
- a theatre troupe/company
- He had never done musical theatre when he landed the lead role as the Phantom.
- He was essentially a man of the theatre.
- He wants to go into the theatre when he finishes university.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + theatre/theater- be in
- work in
- go into
- …
- director
- impresario
- producer
- …
- (also operating theatre (both British English), North American English operating room)[countable, uncountable] a room in a hospital used for medical operations
- a theatre sister (= a nurse who helps during operations)
- in theatre He's still in theatre.
- He's already been taken to theatre for the operation.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- operating
- take to
- nurse
- sister
- staff
- …
- in (the) theatre
- [countable, usually singular] theatre (of war/operations) (formal) the place in which a war or fighting takes place
- an intelligence officer in the Pacific theatre
- Russia replied by opening up a new theatre of war in the Balkans.
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin theatrum, from Greek theatron, from theasthai ‘behold’.
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theatre