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Area

Origin: L. Area a broad piece of level gro. Cf. Are.

1. Any plane surface, as of the floor of a room or church, or of the ground within an inclosure; an open space in a building. The alban lake . . . Looks like the area of some vast amphitheater. (Addison)

2. The inclosed space on which a building stands.

3. The sunken space or court, giving ingress and affording light to the basement of a building.

4. An extent of surface; a tract of the earth's surface; a region; as, vast uncultivated areas.

5. (Science: geometry) The superficial contents of any figure; the surface included within any given lines; superficial extent; as, the area of a square or a triangle.

6. (Science: biology) a spot or small marked space; as, the germinative area.

7. Extent; scope; range; as, a wide area of thought. The largest area of human history and man's common nature. (f. Harrison) dry area. See dry.