# area

Pronunciation: say "AIR-ee-uh" US /ˈɛɹ.i.ə/, UK /ˈɛə.ɹɪ.ə/

## Noun

1. A particular geographic region, such as a part of a city, country, or the world.
   - Simple: A part of a town, country, or the world.
   - _The downtown area is full of restaurants and small shops._
   - _Wolves have returned to several areas of the northern Rockies._
2. Any particular extent of surface, especially one that is empty or unused.
   - Simple: A piece of ground or space, often one that is empty or not being used.
   - _An open area near the stage was left clear for dancing._
   - _The warehouse has a storage area marked off with yellow paint._
3. The extent, scope, or range covered by an object, activity, or concept.
   - Simple: How far something reaches, or what a subject or idea covers.
   - _Climate policy is an area where the two parties rarely agree._
   - _Her expertise spans a broad area, from contract law to tax disputes._
4. A measure of the extent of a surface, expressed in square units such as square meters or square feet.
   - Simple: The amount of space a flat surface covers, counted in square units.
   - _The area of a triangle is half the base times the height._
   - _Surveyors calculated the area of the parcel at just under two acres._
5. In soccer, the penalty area: the marked rectangle in front of each goal where a foul by the defending team results in a penalty kick.
   - Simple: The marked box in front of the goal in soccer, where a foul gives a penalty kick.
   - _The striker was brought down in the area and converted the resulting penalty himself._
   - _Defenders crowded the area as the corner kick floated in._
6. A vague, often humorous slang euphemism for the genitals. *(slang)*
   - Simple: An indirect, casual word for someone's private parts.
   - _He took a stray elbow to the area and spent a minute doubled over on the court._
   - _The comedian's whole bit was about getting hit in the area with a foam dart._
7. An open space below ground level that gives access to the basement of a house, typically separated from the sidewalk by railings. *(British)*
   - Simple: An open space below street level outside a house that leads to the basement, often with a fence around it.
   - _A flight of stone steps led down into the area in front of the Georgian terrace._
   - _The maid hauled the coal scuttle up from the area each morning._

## Origin

A learned borrowing from Latin "ārea."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/area (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).