any particular extent of space or surface; part

the dark areas in the painting; the dusty area of the room.

a geographical region; tract

the Chicago area; the unsettled areas along the frontier.

any section reserved for a specific function

the business area of a town; the dining area of a house.

extent, range, or scope

inquiries that embrace the whole area of science.

field of study, or a branch of a field of study

Related areas of inquiry often reflect borrowed notions.

a piece of unoccupied ground; an open space.

the space or site on which a building stands; the yard attached to or surrounding a house.

British . areaway ( def. 1 ) .

the quantitative measure of a plane or curved surface; two-dimensional extent.

Anatomy . a zone of the cerebral cortex having a specific function

The damage to Broca's area affected his speech.

noun

breadth , compass , distance , expanse , field , operation , range , size , space , sphere , stretch , width , belt , block , city , county , division , domain , dominion , enclosure , kingdom , locality , neck of the woods , neighborhood , parcel , patch , plot , precinct , principality , quarter , section , sector , square , state , territory , township , tract , turf , vicinity , ward , zone , district , region , arena , bailiwick , circle , department , orbit , province , realm , scene , subject , terrain , world , acre , commonwealth , demesne , enclave , environment , environs , extent , farm , fiefdom , ground , habitat , landscape , locale , lot , milieu , parish , penumbra , reach , scope , spread , surroundings , venue , way