STADIA
STADIUM
stadium, bowl, arena, sports stadium
(noun) a large structure for open-air sports or entertainments
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
stadia (plural stadia)
(surveying) A level staff or graduated rod used by surveyors to measure differences in level, or to measure horizontal distances by sighting the stadia hairs (graduations) through a telescope.
(military) (historically) A graduated brass triangle used to measure the distance of a target by comparison of the graduations with the heights of soldiers or horses.
stadia pl (plural only)
plural of stadion
plural of stadium
Usage notes
• For clarification of which plural form of stadium is considered appropriate in a given context, see the usage note at the entry for stadium.
Synonyms
• (plural of stadium): stadiums
Anagrams
• adatis
Source: Wiktionary
STADIUM
Sta"di*um, n.; pl. Stadia. Etym: [L., a stadium (in sense 1), from
Gr.
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.
2. Hence, a race course; especially, the Olympic course for foot
races.
3. 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.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition