auditorium

noun

au·​di·​to·​ri·​um ˌȯ-də-ˈtȯr-ē-əm How to pronounce auditorium (audio)
plural auditoriums or auditoria ˌȯ-də-ˈtȯr-ē-ə How to pronounce auditorium (audio)
1
: the part of a public building where an audience sits
2
: a room, hall, or building used for public gatherings

Examples of auditorium in a Sentence

will hold the town meeting in the high school auditorium
Recent Examples on the Web Attendees sat at long tables in a sleek, modern auditorium. Heather Vogell, ProPublica, 21 Mar. 2024 The Lumiere theater, a sprawling auditorium located inside the Palais des Festivals, has been packed year after year, Lewi pointed out. Marta Balaga, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024 The two friends’ worst prank, involving a bad smell in the auditorium, brings them a last chance before being kicked out of school. Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 11 Feb. 2024 The classrooms, auditorium and library are lined with glass walls and open common areas are placed just outside of the transparent rooms on overlapping levels, encouraging students and teachers to work collaboratively. Robin Pogrebin, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 In 2021, the Windgate Foundation gave a $30 million partial challenge grant to develop and build a facility to house a professional gallery, auditorium, the foundations program, as well as idea fabrication and arts entrepreneurship labs. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 2 Mar. 2024 In Mesa, cameras are in hallways, cafeterias, gymnasiums, auditoriums, courtyards and around the perimeter of buildings. The Arizona Republic, 28 Feb. 2024 We were stationed in front of the curtain on stairs that led to the floor of the auditorium. Owen Thomas, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb. 2024 The theater — which boasts a large auditorium seating more than 1,300 people, with a 70mm-capable screen and upgraded sound system — will showcase a mixture of first-run films and repertory programming selected by the theater’s owners. Josh Rottenberg, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'auditorium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin audītōrium "lecture room, hall, body of listeners," from audīre "to hear" + -tōrium, suffix of places, from neuter of -tōrius, deverbal adjective suffix — more at audible entry 1, auditory entry 2

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of auditorium was in 1640

Dictionary Entries Near auditorium

Cite this Entry

“Auditorium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auditorium. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

auditorium

noun
au·​di·​to·​ri·​um ˌȯd-ə-ˈtōr-ē-əm How to pronounce auditorium (audio)
-ˈtȯr-
1
: the part of a public building where an audience sits
2
: a room, hall, or building used for public gatherings

More from Merriam-Webster on auditorium

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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