Adjacent Words

Arena definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ARE'NA, n. [L. sand.]
1. An open space of ground strewed with sand, on which the gladiators, in ancient Rome, exhibited shows of fighting for the amusement of spectators. Hence, a place for public exhibition.
2. Among physicians, sand or gravel in the kidneys.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a particular environment or walk of life; "his social sphere is limited"; "it was a closed area of employment"; "he's out of my orbit" [syn: sphere, domain, area, orbit, field, arena]
2: the central area of an ancient Roman amphitheater where contests and spectacles were held; especially an area that was strewn with sand
3: a large structure for open-air sports or entertainments [syn: stadium, bowl, arena, sports stadium]
4: a playing field where sports events take place [syn: arena, scene of action]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Latin harena, arena sand, sandy place Date: 1600 1. an area in a Roman amphitheater for gladiatorial combats 2. a. an enclosed area used for public entertainment b. a building containing an arena 3. a. a sphere of interest, activity, or competition <the political arena> b. a place or situation for controversy <in the public arena>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 the central part of an amphitheatre etc., where contests take place. 2 a scene of conflict; a sphere of action or discussion. Phrases and idioms: arena stage a stage situated with the audience all round it. Etymology: L (h)arena sand, sand-strewn place of combat

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Arena A*re"na, n.; pl. E. Arenas; L. Aren[ae]. [L. arena, harena, sand, a sandy place.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) The area in the central part of an amphitheater, in which the gladiators fought and other shows were exhibited; -- so called because it was covered with sand. 2. Any place of public contest or exertion; any sphere of action; as, the arenaof debate; the arena of life. 3. (Med.) ``Sand'' or ``gravel'' in the kidneys.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(arenas) 1. An arena is a place where sports, entertainments, and other public events take place. It has seats around it where people sit and watch. ...the largest indoor sports arena in the world. = stadium N-COUNT 2. You can refer to a field of activity, especially one where there is a lot of conflict or action, as an arena of a particular kind. He made it clear he had no intention of withdrawing from the political arena... N-COUNT: usu with supp

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Ring, amphitheatre. 2. Scene of action, theatre, field, stage, place of contest, scene of conflict, battle-field.

Moby Thesaurus

academic discipline, academic specialty, ambit, amphitheater, applied science, area, art, assembly hall, auditorium, back, backdrop, background, bailiwick, beat, border, borderland, chapel, cincture, circle, circuit, circus, close, concern, concert hall, confine, container, convention hall, coop, court, courtyard, curtilage, dance hall, delimited field, demesne, department, department of knowledge, discipline, distance, domain, dominion, enclave, enclosure, exhibition hall, field, field of inquiry, field of study, fold, gallery, ground, hall, hemisphere, hinterland, judicial circuit, jurisdiction, lecture hall, list, locale, march, meetinghouse, mise-en-scene, music hall, natural science, ology, opera house, orb, orbit, pale, paling, park, pen, precinct, province, pure science, quad, quadrangle, realm, rear, ring, round, scene, science, setting, social science, specialty, sphere, square, stadium, stage, stage set, stage setting, study, technicology, technics, technology, theater, toft, walk, yard