Phrase guide

big tent

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˌbɪɡ ˈtɛnt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛnt

1

noun

Meaning 1

A group, philosophy, or social or political movement that encompasses or seeks to attract a broad range of constituents or members, or views.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: also, attributive, idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: broad church, catch-all

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From big (adjective) + tent, originally referring to a large tent set up to hold a public event attended by many people such as a circus or a religious meeting.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: kansanpuolue — group, philosophy, or social or political movement that encompasses or seeks to attract a broad range of constituents or members, or views
  • Finnish: yleispuolue — group, philosophy, or social or political movement that encompasses or seeks to attract a broad range of constituents or members, or views
  • French: attrape-tout — group, philosophy, or social or political movement that encompasses or seeks to attract a broad range of constituents or members, or views