Scene
/siːn/noun
A place or setting where an event happens, or a subdivision of a play, film, or story.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces to Greek skēnē, originally a “tent” or “booth,” which became the term for the stage backdrop in theater — a literal origin for the idea of reality as performance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sek-
“to cut”
Ancient Greek
Greek
skēnē
“tent, booth; later the stage building or backdrop”
Latin
Latin
scaena
“stage, scene in a play”
Old French
Old French
scene
“scene; stage setting”
Middle English
English
scene
“stage setting; dramatic episode”
Modern English
English
scene
“a place or setting; a division of a play, film, or story”