theatricadj.n.
/θiːˈatrɪk/ A. adj.
1.
a. Of, belonging to, or of the nature of the theatre; = theatrical adj. 1.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > the theatre or the stage > [adjective]
scenical?a1475
theatrical1558
theatral1594
histrionical1599
scenic1623
histrionic1656
thymelical1656
theatric1706
scenary1730
footlight1824
thymelic1849
showish1874
du théâtre1895
stagy1895
1706 R. Steele Prol. Vanbrugh's Mistake 29 By him theatric angels mount more high, And mimic thunders shake a broader sky.
1809 W. Irving Hist. N.Y. II. vi. i. 77 Two buskin'd theatric heroes.
1812 Examiner 21 Sept. 603/1 Theatric amusements might be made objects of taxation.
1855 H. H. Milman Hist. Lat. Christianity VI. xiv. iv. 498 Councils denounced these theatric performances [sc. the Mysteries].
b. Resembling a theatre or amphitheatre in shape or formation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > inclination > [adjective] > inclined from level or sloping > sloping upwards all round
amphitheatral1615
amphitheatrical1729
amphitheatric1743
theatric1764
theatrical1766
1764 O. Goldsmith Traveller 6 Her uplands sloping deck the mountain's side, Woods over woods, in gay theatric pride.
1781 W. Mason Eng. Garden iv. 225 Two broad Piazzas in theatric curve.
1819 W. S. Rose Lett. from N. Italy I. 27 Imagine..a city with something of a theatric form.
1819 W. Wordsworth Malham Cove Oh, had this vast theatric structure wound With finish'd sweep into a perfect round.
2. = theatrical adj. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > imitation > simulation > [adjective]
simulative1490
simulatory1618
theatrical1649
theatric1816
simulant1826
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > dissimulation, pretence > semblance, outward show > [adjective] > theatrical in nature
histrionicalc1553
histrionic1627
pageant1634
theatrical1649
semblant1726
theatric1816
play-acting1875
1816 J. Gilchrist Philos. Etymol. 208 A poor, dull, servile, imitative, theatric set of artificial creatures, strutting about the stage of life in pompous insignificance.
3. Suggestive of the theatre; = theatrical adj. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > spectacular, sensational, or dramatic display > [adjective]
theatric1656
spectacular1682
theatrical1709
dramatic1726
sensationary1755
pyrotechnical1825
grandstand1835
pyrotechnic1848
sensational1859
razzle-dazzle1888
whizz-bang1919
glitzy1966
the world > action or operation > behaviour > affected behaviour or affectation > [adjective] > theatrical or exaggerated (of person) > of actions or things
histrionicalc1553
scenical1564
mimic1591
histrionic1627
scenic1638
theatric1656
theatrical1709
agonistic1833
stagy1860
actressy1893
the world > action or operation > behaviour > affected behaviour or affectation > [adjective] > theatrical or exaggerated (of person)
scenic1640
stagy1864
theatric1879
posey1933
1656 Disc. Auxiliary Beauty 168 What is there in any civill order..which doth not put on something Theatrick and pompous?
1760 H. Walpole in W. B. Scoones Four Cent. Eng. Lett. (1880) 267 It was very theatric to look down into the vault, where the coffin was, attended by mourners with lights.
1788 F. Burney Diary & Lett. (1876) IV. 343 So theatric an attitude.
1879 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times II. xxii. 139 He was picturesque and perhaps even theatric in his dress and his bearing.
B. n.
1. In plural = theatricals (theatrical adj. 2).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > spectacular, sensational, or dramatic display > [noun] > instance or scene of
theatrics1807
pyrotechnics1869
three-ring circus1898
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > the theatre or the stage > [noun] > matters relating to
theatricals1763
theatrics1807
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > [noun]
action1540
acting1590
stage-playing1597
interluding1612
play-acting1633
histrionisma1682
theatrics1807
histrionics1824
mumming1861
histrionicism1870
stage play1872
Thespianism1914
1807 Salmagundi 24 Jan. 12 Our theatricks shall take up but a small part of our paper.
2. Originally U.S. Doings of a theatrical character; theatrical behaviour, effects, or mannerisms; theatricality.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > affected behaviour or affectation > [noun] > theatrical or exaggerated behaviour
histrionicism1665
histrionisma1682
theatricalness1727
theatricality1837
play-actorism1851
theatricalism1854
performance1864
melodramatics1865
theatricism1872
camping1922
histrionics1922
theatric1929
amateur dramatics1984
1929 W. Faulkner Sartoris i. 3 With his race's fine feeling for potential theatrics he drew himself up.
1958 A. Miller Coll. Plays iii. 18 Plays..had been written for a theatrical performance, when they should have been written as a kind of testimony whose relevance far surpassed theatrics.
1964 L. Hansberry in J. H. Clarke Harlem 136 The..little committees..have dragged on their particular obscene theatrics for all these years.
1972 Time 2 Oct. 52/2 A desperate device intended to lend a little spine to the sponge-cake theatrics [in a film].
1977 Daily Tel. 12 July 17/6 The ‘theatrics’ of the Church are important to many Catholics and, in a way, this is what Lefebvre offers.
1983 Times 24 Aug. 5/2 Today's so-called peace movement—for all its modern hype and theatrics—makes the same old mistake.
Derivatives
theˈatricable adj. capable of being made theatric, i.e. dramatized.Apparently an isolated use.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > the theatre or the stage > [adjective] > suitable for the stage
stage-worthy1821
scenic1857
producible1875
theatricable1901
stageable1907
1901 Howells in N. Amer. Rev. CLXXII. 798 It is the subordinate affair of the actor to adapt himself to the poet's conception, and find it theatricable.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online December 2019).
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adj.n.1656