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A.Word.A.Day--odeum

odeum (oh-DEE-uhm) noun, plural odea

1. A theater or concert hall.

2. A roofed building in ancient Greece and Rome used for theatrical performances.

[From Latin odeum, from Greek oideion, from oide (song).]

Now you know why so many cinema halls are named Odeon. A few other words that share the same root as odeum are ode, comedy, and tragedy.

"'Dinah Was,' the wonderful Dinah Washington musical about one of soul's great divas, has inaugurated an equally wonderful, new Off-Broadway theater, the Gramercy on 23rd Street. This 499-seat odeum is a luxurious addition to the burgeoning New York theater scene and is perfect for this new musical."
Liz Smith; Disney's Tobacco Rogue; Newsday (New York); Jul 15, 1998.

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