Etymograph

English

theater

Theater comes from Middle English theater, from Old French theatre, from Latin theātrum, from Greek θέᾱτρον ‘a place for viewing’, from θεάομαι ‘to watch’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeyh₂-‘to perceive, see’reconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεάομαιtheáomai‘to see, watch’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEθέᾱτρονthéātron‘a place for viewing’
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtheātrum‘theatre’
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400theatre
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500theater
  7. Englishearliest quotation 2012same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeyh₂-‘to perceive, see’reconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεάομαιtheáomai‘to see, watch’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEθέᾱτρονthéātron‘a place for viewing’
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtheātrum‘theatre’
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400theatre
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500theater
  7. Englishearliest quotation 2012same form

Earliest quotation: 2012, Andrew Rens: “ACTA proponents rely on claims of a growing piracy…”

Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyh₂-

Today it means

noun A place or building, consisting of a stage and seating, in which an audience gathers to watch plays, musical performances, public ceremonies, and so on.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyh₂- / theater

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