arena

UK: /əˈriːnə/ US: /əˈrinə/ ,(ə rē′nə)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•re•na /əˈrinə/   n. [countable] , pl. -nas. 

1. Architecture, Sport a central area used for sports or other forms of entertainment and surrounded by seats for spectators.
2. Architecture, Sport a building that contains an arena.
3. Antiquity the oval space in the center of a Roman amphitheater.
4. a field of competition or activity:
   the arena of politics.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•re•na  (ə rē′nə), n. 

1. Antiquity the oval space in the center of a Roman amphitheater for gladiatorial combats or other performances.
2. Architecture, Sport a central stage, ring, area, or the like, used for sports or other forms of entertainment, surrounded by seats for spectators:
   a boxing arena; a circus arena.
3. Architecture, Sport a building housing an arena.
4. a field of conflict, activity, or endeavor:
   the arena of politics.

• Latin (h)arēna sand, sandy place, area sanded for combat
• 1620–30

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

arena / əˈriːnə/ noun

1. an enclosure or platform, usually surrounded by seats on all sides, in which sports events, contests, entertainments, etc, take place: a boxing arena
2. the central area of an ancient Roman amphitheatre, in which gladiatorial contests and other spectacles were held
3. a sphere or scene of conflict or intense activity: the political arena

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin harēna sand, place where sand was strewn for the combats