theater and theatre are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. theater means “a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented”. theatre means “a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented”.
/ˈθiətɚ/
1.n.a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
“the house was full”
2.n.the art of writing and producing plays
3.n.a region in which active military operations are in progress
“the army was in the field awaiting action”
| theater | theatre | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈθiətɚ/ | /ˈθiətɚ/ |
| Said | THEE-uh-tur | THEE-uh-tur |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Letters | 7 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 3 | 3 |
| How common | Common | Common |
| Synonyms | theatre, house | theater, house |
Full entry for theater · Full entry for theatre · More comparisons
1.n.a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
“the house was full”
2.n.the art of writing and producing plays
3.n.a region in which active military operations are in progress
“the army was in the field awaiting action”