Theatre and Theater are interchangeable terms that differ only due to their origin and usage. Here, we should be clear that Theatre is a British term while Theater is an American term. Theatre ends with the letter “re,” while Theater ends with “er.”
Main Difference
Theater or Theatre is where a drama or play is performed. Despite the change in spellings, there are also many structure, usage, and origin differences. Let us briefly discuss the significant differences between the Theatre and Theater.
What is Theatre?
Theatre is a British word from the Greek word “theatron,” where a drama or play is performed. Theatre also refers to an area specified to perform a literary activity. Theatre is where people watch a movie, play, or drama serial. Now, Theatre is a building that people visit to entertain themselves. Moreover, theatre refers to a place that is particularly specified for the performance of a play.
Features
- Greek origin
- British Term
- First used in the 3rd century BC
- Old term
- Commonly used term
- A platform for gain knowledge
- Source of entertainment
- Employment platform
- Seek socialism
- Best for time pass
What is Theater?
The Theater is an American Word that refers to an area where a play is performed. It originated from the French word “Theatrum,” which refers to a specified place for viewing dramatic and play performances. The Theater is a modern verb that differs from the British word theatre only by two last letters. A theater is a building for viewing a movie, drama, or play.
Features
- American Term
- French origin
- Modern term
- Not commonly used
- Originate in the 14th century
Main Differences between Theatre and Theater
- Theatre is a British term, while Theater is an American term.
- Theatre originated from Greek, while Theater is developed from a French word.
- Theatre, in contrast to Theater, is an old terminology.
- Theatre developed in 300 BC, while Theater developed in the 14th century and was adopted in the 1970s.
- Theatre is a more commonly used term as compared to Theater.
- A theatre is also a place for viewing a literary activity or studying a form of art, while Theater is only used to show an educated site.
- Theatre ends with the letters ‘re’ while theater ends with the ‘er.’
Comparison Table of Theatre vs. Theater
| Feature | Theatre | Theater |
| Origin | Greek | French |
| Term | Britsih | American |
| Last letters | re | er |
| Adoption | 300 BC | 14th BC |
Conclusion
In a nutshell, we can say that Theatre and Theater refer to the same meanings and place despite minor differences. The main difference is their spelling and some literature differences. We hope you are aware of the significant differences between Theatre and Theater.
