arena
a·re·na/əˈɹiːnə/noun
arena is spelled A-R-E-N-A: 5 letters and 3 syllables (a·re·na). It appears 21 times per million words in written English, the 4,076th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, arena means “An enclosed area, often outdoor, for the presentation of sporting events (sports arena) or other spectacular events; earthen area, often oval…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of arena is arenas or arenae.
How many letters and syllables are in arena?
| Letters | 5: A-R-E-N-A |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: a·re·na |
| In writing | 21 times per million words; the 4,076th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is arena?
Arena appears 21 times per million words in written English, the 4,076th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce arena?
- /əˈɹiːnə/
- [əˈɹʷɪi̯nə]
Arena has 3 syllables, split a·re·na in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-arena.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of arena
- arenas plural
- arenae plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does arena mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
An enclosed area, often outdoor, for the presentation of sporting events (sports arena) or other spectacular events; earthen area, often oval, specifically for rodeos (North America) or circular area for bullfights (especially Hispanic America).
A large crowd filled the seats of the arena.
- 2
The building housing such an area; specifically, a very large, often round building, often topped with a dome, designated for indoor sporting or other major events, such as concerts.
The arena is grey with white beams.
- 3
The sand-covered centre of an amphitheatre where contests were held in Ancient Rome.
The gladiators entered the arena.
- 4
A realm in which events take place; an area of interest, study, behaviour, etc.
The company was a player in the maritime insurance arena.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Arena in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | arène , aréna |
| German | Arena , Bühne |
| Portuguese | arena |
| Spanish | arena, ruedo, palestra, redondel, albero, palenque |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does arena come from?
Borrowed from Latin arēna (“sand; arena”), from earlier harēna, from Old Latin hasēna, possibly from Etruscan; compare Sabine fasēna.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).