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)
Synonyms of auditorium
1
: the part of a public building where an audience sits
2
: a room, hall, or building used for public gatherings

Synonyms of auditorium

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Examples of auditorium in a Sentence

will hold the town meeting in the high school auditorium
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Celebrities trade red-carpet formality for jeans and flannel, while audiences crisscross town between screenings in a high school auditorium, a Masonic lodge, the county courthouse and half a dozen other spaces pressed into service for the week. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Amal waited for her husband near the entrance of the historic Sala Grande auditorium in Venice. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 The lobby and auditorium of the theater have been designated by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, so it can’t easily be turned into, say, a Trader Joe’s. — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026 The 80,000-square-foot learning center will include a 750-seat auditorium, interactive food and agriculture exhibits, multiple classrooms, a space for cooking demonstrations and exhibits focused on American Royal’s lengthy history. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for auditorium

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

Rhymes for auditorium

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Browse Nearby Words

auditorial
auditorium
auditory
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Cite this Entry

“Auditorium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auditorium. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about auditorium

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