Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

ārĕa (in inscriptions freq. ARIA, Inscr. Orell. 4130, etc.), ae, f [some comp. ἔραζε = on the ground; Germ. Erde; Engl. earth, hearth; others, as Varro and Festus, connected it with areo, as if pr. dry land, as terra may be connected with torreo; so Bopp and Curt.], a piece of level ground, a vacant place, esp. in the town (syn.: planities, aequor): in urbe loca pura areae, Varr. L. L. 5, § 38 Müll: area proprie dicitur locus vacuus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 11 Müll.: locus sine aedificio in urbe area; rure autem ager appellatur, Dig. 50, 16, 211.

  1. I. Lit., ground for a house, a building-spot: si Ponendae domo quaerenda est area primum, Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 13. arearum electio, Vitr. 1, 7, 1: pontifices si sustulerint religionem, aream praeclaram habebimus, Cic. Att. 4, 1 fin.; Liv. 4, 16; 1, 55; Suet. Vesp. 8; Dig. 7, 4, 10 al.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A vacant space around or in a house, a court (syn. spatium): resedimus in areā domŭs, Plin. Ep. 6, 20, 4; so id. ib. 7, 27, 10; Vulg. 3 Reg. 22, 10; Dig. 43, 22, 1; 8, 2, 1 al.
    2. B. An open space for games, an open play-ground (syn.: campus, curriculum), Hor. C. 1, 9, 18.
      Hence, in gen., a field for effort, etc. (syn.: campus, locus, q. v.), Ov. Am. 3, 1, 26, and trop.: area scelerum, i. e. where vices have full scope, Cic. Att. 9, 18.
      Also, a raceground, Ov. F. 4, 10 (cf. id. ib. 2, 360); and trop., the course of life: vitae tribus areis peractis (i. e. pueritiā, juventute, senectute), Mart. 10, 24.
    3. C. A threshing floor (among the ancients, an open space in the vicinity of the house).
      1. 1. Lit.: neque in segetibus neque in areis neque in horreis, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 8; Hor. C. 1, 1, 10; id. S. 1, 1, 45; Tib. 1, 5, 22; Vulg. Gen. 50, 10; ib. Isa. 21, 10. Its construction may be learned from Cato, R. R. 91 and 129; Varr. R. R. 1, 51; Verg. G. 1, 178 sqq. Voss; Col. 5, 1, 4; 5, 2, 20; and Pall. 1, 36 al.
      2. 2. Trop., of the body of Christians, as subject to separation, judgment (eccl. Lat.), Vulg. Matt. 3, 12; Aug. Ver. Rel. 5.
    4. D. The halo around the sun or moon: tales splendores Graeci areas (i. e. ἅλωνας) vocavere, Sen. Q. N. 1, 2.
    5. E. A bed or border in a garden, Varr. L. L. 6, § 64 Müll.; Col. 11, 3; Plin. 19, 4, 20, § 60; Pall. 1, 34.
  3. F. A fowling-floor, Plaut. As. 1, 3, 64: aedes nobis area est; auceps sum ego, id. ib. 1, 3, 67.
  4. G. A burying-ground, church-yard, Tert. ad Scap. 3.
  5. H. A bald spot upon the head, baldness, Cels. 6, 4; Mart. 5, 50.