auditorium

noun

au·​di·​to·​ri·​um ˌȯ-də-ˈtȯr-ē-əm 

plural auditoriums or auditoria ˌȯ-də-ˈtȯr-ē-ə 

1

: the part of a public building where an audience sits

2

: a room, hall, or building used for public gatherings

Synonyms

• amphitheater
• arena
• garden
• hall
• theater
• theatre

Examples of auditorium in a Sentence

will hold the town meeting in the high school auditorium

Recent Examples on the Web

Sitting in a packed audience in the auditorium of 1 Police Plaza were two of her former bosses and commissioners, Raymond W. Kelly, who hired her in 2008, and William J. Bratton, who promoted her to deputy commissioner of information and technology. —Maria Cramer, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024

The Independent Picture House, a nonprofit arthouse movie theater near NoDa known for showing indie and foreign films, plans to open its new 145-seat auditorium on Friday. —Ashley Mahoney, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024

And to court their newest and youngest constituents, several Oakland candidates assembled before a packed auditorium in East Oakland for a grilling. —Meg Tanaka, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024

The commissioners listen politely but feel that their auditorium in Pontiac is the wrong forum for discussing U.S. foreign policy, said Commissioner Dave Woodward, D-Royal Oak, who chairs the board. —Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 31 Oct. 2024

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

Kids Definition

auditorium

noun

au·​di·​to·​ri·​um ˌȯd-ə-ˈtōr-ē-əm 

-ˈtȯr-

1

: the part of a public building where an audience sits

2

: a room, hall, or building used for public gatherings