- stadium
- stadium [stā′dē əm]n.pl. stadia; also, and for STADIUM sense 2 usually, stadiums [stā′dē ə] [ME < L < Gr stadion, fixed standard of length, altered (infl. by stadios, standing) < earlier spadion < span, to draw, pull: see SPAN1]1. in ancient Greece and Rome,a) a unit of linear measure, equal to about 607 feet (185 meters)b) a straight track for footraces, typically one stadium in length, with tiers of seats for spectators on each side: see HIPPODROME2. a large, oval, round, or U-shaped, usually open structure, as for football, track events, etc., with tiers of seats for thousands of spectators3. Biol. a period or stage in the life history of an animal or plant
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.