noun
Common
gods
godz
Gods (noun) means the highest, cheapest seating area in a theatre, usually right at the top and far from the stage. Example: “We watched the play from the gods, squinting to see the actors' faces.”
noun
1
The highest, cheapest seating area in a theatre, usually right at the top and far from the stage.
"We watched the play from the gods, squinting to see the actors' faces."
"Tickets in the gods were half the price of the stalls."
"Our cheap seats in the gods meant a long climb up many narrow stairs."
How to use gods
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe cheap seats at the very top of an old-style theatre.
Common mistake
Only used this way in British theatre slang, and always with "the" — you sit "in the gods," not just "in gods."
Common pairings
sit in the gods
seats in the gods
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We watched the play from the _____, squinting to see the actors' faces.
Etymology
A cheeky nickname for the upper gallery, as if the people sitting way up there were looking down like gods on Olympus.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for gods
See all rhymes for gods →Frequently asked questions
What does “gods” mean?
The word “gods” means the highest, cheapest seating area in a theatre, usually right at the top and far from the stage. In plain terms, the cheap seats at the very top of an old-style theatre.
How do you pronounce “gods”?
“Gods” is pronounced godz (/ɡɑdz/ in IPA).
How do you use “gods” in a sentence?
Here is “gods” used in a sentence: “We watched the play from the gods, squinting to see the actors' faces.”
What part of speech is “gods”?
“Gods” is a noun.
Is “gods” a common word?
“Gods” is a fairly common word in modern English.
Why is the top of a theatre called 'the gods'?
The name comes from the ceiling. In old theatres the highest gallery sat right beneath a domed roof often painted with clouds, angels, and mythological gods. Perched up there, audiences were closest to those painted heavens, so the cheap upper seats earned the affectionate nickname 'the gods.'
Is sitting in the gods worth it?
It depends on what you want. The gods are the cheapest seats, so they suit tight budgets, and the steep height often gives a full, sweeping view of the whole stage. The trade-off is distance: faces look small, fine detail is lost, and the climb up can be steep.
What is another name for the gods in a theatre?
In most theatres the gods are simply the upper gallery or top balcony, the tier furthest from the stage. British playgoers use 'the gods' affectionately, while informal speakers sometimes call the highest, cheapest rows the 'nosebleed seats' because of how high up they sit.
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