A Stadium Was Originally a Distance
A stadium is a sports arena with seating. The Greek word was a unit of length, and then the race run over it.
A stadium is an arena with tiered seating around a field or track. The Greek *stadion* was first a measure of distance, roughly 185 metres, then the footrace run over that distance, and finally the place where the race was held. The building took its name from the length of the race inside it.
- A sports arena with seating. *A 60,000-seat stadium.*
- An ancient Greek running track. *The stadium at Olympia.*
- A stage of development. *An early stadium (rare).*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | stadium | A new stadium. |
| Plural | stadiums | Two stadiums. |
| Plural (Latin) | stadia | Olympic stadia. |
| Related | arena | An indoor arena. |
| Related | terrace | The old terraces. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The stadium holds sixty thousand.Capacity.
- Stadiums are increasingly all-seater.After safety reforms in several countries.
- The ancient stadium is still visible.Archaeology.
Stadium words
- Arena — usually indoor, and originally the sanded floor of an amphitheatre
- Terrace — standing area, largely replaced by seating
- Stand — a seated section
- Pitch / field — the playing surface
- Concourse — the circulation area behind the stands
From Latin *stadium*, from Greek *stadion*, a measure of about 600 feet and the race run over it. The Latin plural *stadia* is still used in formal writing.
Stadiums or stadia?
Both are correct. Stadiums is more common in general use; stadia appears in architectural and sporting writing.
Arena or stadium?
An arena is usually enclosed and often indoor, built for concerts and indoor sport. A stadium is normally open and built around a pitch or track.