Definition

A type of early movie theater where people could watch films for a small fee, usually five cents, or a jukebox that played music when a coin was inserted.

Example

We went to the nickelodeon to watch a silent film from the 1920s.

Conversation

Have you ever been to a nickelodeon theater before?

No, I haven't, but I've heard they used to be really popular.

Yeah, they were great for watching silent films at a low price.

That sounds fun! I would love to experience that era.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Nickelodeon is formed from "nickel" (from the German "Nickel", a diminutive of "Nikolaus", meaning devil or goblin, referring to the metal) and "odeon" (from Greek "odeion", meaning a building for musical performances). The word originally referred to a type of theater that charged a nickel for admission, hence the combination of the two parts to describe a place associated with entertainment.

Memory Tip

Think of 'nickel' as the small coin you need to enter a theater, and 'odeon' as a place for performances. This helps you remember that a nickelodeon is a theater where you pay a nickel to enjoy shows.

Visually Confused Words