Stadia

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Stadium \Sta"di*um\ (st[=a]"d[i^]*[u^]m), n.; pl. {Stadia}
     (st[=a]"d[i^]*[.a]). [L., a stadium (in sense 1), from Gr.
     sta`dion.]
     1. A Greek measure of length, being the chief one used for
        itinerary distances, also adopted by the Romans for
        nautical and astronomical measurements. It was equal to


        600 Greek or 625 Roman feet, or 125 Roman paces, or to 606
        feet 9 inches English. This was also called the {Olympic
        stadium}, as being the exact length of the foot-race
        course at Olympia. --Dr. W. Smith.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Hence: A race course; especially, the Olympic course for
        foot races.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Hence: A modern structure, with its inclosure, resembling
        the ancient stadium[2], used for athletic games which are
        typically played out-of-doors; such stadiums are usually
        large structures without roofs, though some modern
        stadiums may have a protective dome overhead. It may be
        contrasted with the {arena}, the term commonly used for
        smaller structures at which indoor games are played.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]
  
     4. A kind of telemeter for measuring the distance of an
        object of known dimensions, by observing the angle it
        subtends; especially (Surveying), a graduated rod used to
        measure the distance of the place where it stands from an
        instrument having a telescope, by observing the number of
        the graduations of the rod that are seen between certain
        parallel wires (stadia wires) in the field of view of the
        telescope; -- also called {stadia}, and {stadia rod}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  stadium
       n : a large structure for open-air sports or entertainments
           [syn: {bowl}, {arena}, {sports stadium}]
       [also: {stadia} (pl)]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  stadia
       See {stadium}