proscenium

English

WOTD – 4 October 2009    

Alternative forms

• proscænium

Etymology

From Latin proscaenium (“in front of the scenery”), from Ancient Greek προσκήνιον (proskēnion), from πρό (pro, “before”) + σκηνή (skēnē, “scene building”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /prəʊˈsiː.ni.əm/
• (US) IPA: /proʊˈsiː.ni.əm/

Noun

proscenium (plural prosceniums or proscenia)

1. (in a modern theater) The stage area between the curtain and the orchestra.
2. (in an ancient theater) The stage area immediately in front of the scene building.
3. (in an ancient theater) The row of columns at the front the scene building, at first directly behind the circular orchestra but later upon a stage.
   • 1936, Roy C. Flickinger, The Greek Theater and Its Drama, 4th edition, page 58

     The front of the scene-building and of the parascenia came to be decorated with a row of columns, the proscenium (πρό, "before"+σκηνή).

4. A proscenium arch.

Coordinate terms

auditorium episcenium logium orchestra

parascenium parodus thymele

Translations

modern theatre: stage area between the curtain and the orchestra

• Bulgarian: авансцена (bg) (avánstséna) f
• Danish: proscenium (da) n
• Greek: προσκήνιο (el) (proskínio) n

• Polish: proscenium (pl) n, przedscenie (pl) n
• Russian: авансцена (ru) (avanscena) f

ancient theatre: stage area immediately in front of the scene building

• Danish: proscenium (da) n
• Greek: προσκήνιο (el) (proskínio) n
• Latin: proscaenium (la) n

• Polish: proscenium (pl)
• Russian: проскениум (ru) (proskenium) m

ancient theatre: row of columns at the front the scene building

• German: Bühnenfassade (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: προσκήνιον (proskēnion) n

  Modern: προσκήνιο (el) (proskínio) n

proscenium arch — see proscenium arch

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Danish

Noun

proscenium n (singular definite prosceniet, plural indefinite proscenier)

1. proscenium

Inflection

    Inflection of proscenium

neuter gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative, dative and accusative	proscenium	prosceniet	proscenier	proscenierne
genitive	prosceniums	prosceniets	prosceniers	prosceniernes