stadium
STAY-dee-uhm
Stadium (noun) means a large venue, usually with tiered seating, built for sporting events or concerts. Example: “The stadium was packed for the final.”
noun
1
A large venue, usually with tiered seating, built for sporting events or concerts.
"The stadium was packed for the final."
"They're building a new stadium downtown."
"Thousands of fans queued outside the stadium before the concert began."
2
A stage of development in an organism's life cycle (a specialist, scientific use).
"The insect passes through several larval stadia before maturing."
"Biologists describe each stadium of the insect's growth in their field notes."
"The nymph moults between one stadium and the next as it grows."
How to use stadium
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA big arena for sports or big shows.
Common pairings
a packed stadium
stadium seating
football stadium
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Word forms
- Plural
- stadiums, stadia
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ was packed for the final.
Etymology
From Latin stadium, itself from Greek stadion, originally the name of the footrace track at Olympia and a unit of length — the modern sports-venue sense grew out of "place shaped like a racecourse."
Related words
Rhymes for stadium
See all rhymes for stadium →Frequently asked questions
What does “stadium” mean?
The word “stadium” means a large venue, usually with tiered seating, built for sporting events or concerts. In plain terms, a big arena for sports or big shows.
How do you pronounce “stadium”?
“Stadium” is pronounced STAY-dee-uhm (/ˈsteɪ.di.əm/ in IPA).
How do you use “stadium” in a sentence?
Here is “stadium” used in a sentence: “The stadium was packed for the final.”
What part of speech is “stadium”?
“Stadium” is a noun.
Where does the word “stadium” come from?
The word “stadium” comes from Latin. From Latin stadium, itself from Greek stadion, originally the name of the footrace track at Olympia and a unit of length — the modern sports-venue sense grew out of "place shaped like a racecourse.".
Is “stadium” a common word?
“Stadium” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “stadium” have?
“Stadium” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large venue, usually with tiered seating, built for sporting events or concerts.
What is the difference between a stadium and an arena?
A stadium is usually larger and often open-air, built around a pitch or track for field sports like football, athletics or baseball. An arena is typically smaller and enclosed, designed for indoor events such as basketball, ice hockey and concerts. The line can blur, but size and roofing are the main clues.
What are the types of stadiums?
Stadiums are often grouped by their roofing and use: open-air stadiums with no cover, domed stadiums fully enclosed under a fixed roof, and retractable-roof stadiums that open or close with the weather. Many are also all-seater, while others are purpose-built for a single sport such as football or athletics.
What is an example of a stadium?
Famous examples include Wembley Stadium in London, used for football and concerts, and Camp Nou in Barcelona. These venues seat tens of thousands of spectators in tiered stands surrounding a central pitch. Any large, tiered venue built to host sporting events or big live performances counts as a stadium.
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