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an oval or round building with tiers of seats around a central open area, as those used in ancient rome for gladiatorial contests.
any similar place for public contests, games, performances, exhibitions, etc.; an arena, stadium, or auditorium.
a room having tiers of seats arranged around a central area, in which students and other observers can view surgery, hear lectures, etc.
british.

the first section of seats in the gallery of a theater.
a designated section of seats in any part of a theater.

a level area of oval or circular shape surrounded by rising ground.
historical examples

after the procession they adjourned to the amphitheater for the exercises.
sixty years of california song margaret blake-alverson

in the amphitheater were men who had raised their arms and remained in that posture.
story hour readings: seventh year e.c. hartwell

it still has ruins of an amphitheater, 482 feet by 384 in size.
the best of the world’s cl-ssics, restricted to prose. volume ii (of x) – rome various

the gatherings in the amphitheater were miniatures of roman life.
the trial of jesus from a lawyer’s standpoint, vol. ii (of ii) walter m. chandler

the amphitheater was open to the sky, the stage alone being covered with a roof; and all the plays were given by daylight.
the story of the greeks h. a. guerber

i come here every night and look upon the amphitheater of the gods.
the personality of american cities edward hungerford

it was said that the athletic field rivaled the amphitheater in its crowds when stagg played.
the story of chautauqua jesse lyman hurlbut

dr. schick calls it an amphitheater, but it is simply a theater of the greek type.
archology and the bible george a. barton

then i looked up and saw a head peering down into the amphitheater—the head of dunnoo, my dog-boy, who attended to my collies.
insect stories vernon l. kellogg

silence wrapped the amphitheater about, like tight swathing.
caravans by night harry hervey

n.

late 14c., from latin amphitheatrum, from greek amphitheatron “double theater, amphitheater,” neuter of amphitheatros “with spectators all around,” from amphi- “on both sides” (see amphi-) + theatron “theater” (see theater). cl-ssical theaters were semi-circles, thus two together made an amphi-theater.