thea‧tre S2 W2 British English, theater American English /ˈθɪətə $ -ər/ noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: theatre, from Latin, from Greek theatron, from theasthai 'to watch']

1. BUILDING [countable] a building or place with a stage where plays and shows are performed:
an open-air theatre (=a theatre that is outside)
the Mercury Theater

2. PLAYS [uncountable]
a) plays as a form of entertainment:
I enjoy theater and swimming.
the theatre
He’s really interested in literature and the theatre.
Yeats’ plays are great poetry but they are not good theatre (=good entertainment).
b) the work of acting in, writing, or organizing plays:
classes in theater and music
in the theatre
She’s been working in the theatre over thirty years.

3. PLACE TO SEE A FILM [countable] American English a building where films are shown Synonym : movie theater American English, cinema British English:
‘Bambi’ was the first movie I ever saw in the theater.

4. HOSPITAL [uncountable and countable] British English a special room in a hospital where medical operations are done Synonym : operating room American English
in theatre
Marilyn is still in theatre.

5. WAR [countable] formal a large area where a war is being fought:
the Pacific theater during World War II

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

theatre
noun
I. where you go to see plays, etc.
ADJ. large | little, small | crowded, packed The theatre was packed for the opening night.
open-air | puppet The pier has a unique little puppet theatre.
VERB + THEATRE go to, visit I haven't been to the theatre for ages.
THEATRE + NOUN ticket | production | audience | manager, staff
PREP. at a/the ~ We were at the theatre last night.
in a/the ~ There's a bar in the theatre.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

theatre
II. drama
ADJ. good, great He writes the sort of dialogue that makes great theatre.
live | amateur | commercial, professional | fringe, provincial, repertory There was some good fringe theatre at the festival.
classical, contemporary, experimental, modern, music/musical, popular | street We saw some good street theatre while we were in Paris.
community, youth | political (often figurative) The Chancellor's speech was an absorbing piece of political theatre.
QUANT. piece
VERB + THEATRE study He is studying Greek theatre.
THEATRE + NOUN studies | critic

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

theatre
III. work of acting in/ producing plays
VERB + THEATRE be in, work in | go into He wants to go into the theatre when he finishes university.
THEATRE + NOUN director, producer | company, group

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

theatre
IV. in a hospital
ADJ. operating
VERB + THEATRE take to He's already been taken to theatre for the operation.
THEATRE + NOUN nurse, sister
PREP. in (the) ~ She was in the operating theatre for two hours.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲