1538, "vacant piece of ground," from L. area "level ground, open space," of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to arere "to become dry," on notion of a burned clearing or dry, bare space. The generic sense of "amount of surface (whether open or not) contained within any set of limits" is from 1845. Area code in N.Amer. telephone systems is attested from 1961.
a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography); "it was a mountainous area"; "Bible country"
2.
a subject of study; "it was his area of specialization"; "areas of interest include..."
3.
a part of an animal that has a special function or is supplied by a given artery or nerve; "in the abdominal region"
4.
a particular environment or walk of life; "his social sphere is limited"; "it was a closed area of employment"; "he's out of my orbit" [syn: sphere]
5.
a part of a structure having some specific characteristic or function; "the spacious cooking area provided plenty of room for servants"
6.
the extent of a 2-dimensional surface enclosed within a boundary; "the area of a rectangle"; "it was about 500 square feet in area"
Main Entry: ar·ea Pronunciation: 'ar-E-&, 'er- Function: noun : a part of the cerebral cortex having a particular function —see ASSOCIATION AREA, MOTOR AREA, SENSORY AREA
Ae"rie\ (?; 277), n. [OE. aire, eire, air, nest, also origin, descent, OF. aire, LL. area, aera, nest of a bird of prey, perh. fr. L. area an open space (for birds of prey like to build their nests on flat and open spaces on the top of high rocks). Cf. Area.] The nest of a bird of prey, as of an eagle or hawk; also a brood of such birds; eyrie. --Shak. Also fig.: A human residence or resting place perched like an eagle's nest.
Are\, n. [F., fr. L. area. See Area.] (Metric system) The unit of superficial measure, being a square of which each side is ten meters in length; 100 square meters, or about 119.6 square yards.
A"re*a\ ([=a]"r[-e]*[.a]; 277), n.; pl. Areas (-[.a]z) . [L. area a broad piece of level ground. Cf. Are, n.]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. (Geom.) 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. (Biol.) 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 under Dry.
A*re"o*la\, n.; pl. Areol[ae]. [L. areola, dim. of area: cf. F. ar['e]ole. See Area.]1. An interstice or small space, as between the cracks of the surface in certain crustaceous lichens; or as between the fibers composing organs or vessels that interlace; or as between the nervures of an insect's wing. 2. (Anat. & Med.) The colored ring around the nipple, or around a vesicle or pustule.
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