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col·i·se·um also col·os·se·um

(kŏl′ĭ-sēəm)

A large amphitheater for public sports events, entertainment, or assemblies.

[Medieval Latin Colisēum, an amphitheater in Rome, Italy, variant of Latin Colossēum, from neuter of colossēus, gigantic, from colossus, huge statue; see COLOSSUS.]

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coliseum

arena of the Colosseum

Rome, Italy

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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