Standard Lemma guide

pageant

noun · verb · 7 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.

  • /ˈpæd͡ʒənt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P AE1 JH AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An elaborate public display, especially a parade in historical or traditional costume.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: spectacle

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A spectacular ceremony.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Ellipsis of beauty pageant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: beauty contest, beauty pageant

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A wheeled platform for the exhibition of plays, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To exhibit in show; to represent; to mimic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

an elaborate representation of scenes from history etc; usually involves a parade with rich costumes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pageantry

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: representation

7

noun

Meaning 7

a rich and spectacular ceremony

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pageantry

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ceremony, ceremonial, ceremonial occasion, observance

History

Etymology

Late 14th c. as Middle English pagent, from Medieval Latin pagina (“play in a cycle of mystery plays”), perhaps from Latin pāgina (“page of a book”).

Across languages

Translations

46 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: اِسْتِعْرَاض (istiʕrāḍ) — public display
  • Bulgarian: парад (parad) — public display
  • Dutch: optocht — public display
  • Esperanto: procesio — public display
  • French: cortège — public display
  • German: Festzug — public display
  • German: Aufzug — public display
  • German: Umzug — public display
  • German: Festumzug — public display
  • German: Spektakel — public display
  • German: Parade — public display
  • Hungarian: parádé — public display
  • Hungarian: felvonulás — public display
  • Hungarian: bemutató — public display
  • Hungarian: látványosság — public display
  • Hungarian: díszszemle — public display
  • Italian: parata — public display
  • Italian: mostra — public display
  • Italian: esposizione — public display
  • Italian: esibizione — public display
  • Italian: spettacolo pubblico — public display
  • Japanese: 野外劇 (yagaigeki) — public display
  • Polish: parada — public display
  • Polish: pokaz — public display
  • Polish: widowisko — public display
  • Romanian: procesiune — public display
  • Romanian: cortegiu — public display
  • Russian: зре́лище (zrélišče) — public display
  • Spanish: muestra — public display
  • Spanish: cabalgata — public display
  • Spanish: comparsa — public display
  • Bulgarian: шествие (šestvie) — spectacular ceremony
  • Czech: podívaná — spectacular ceremony
  • Dutch: vertoning — spectacular ceremony
  • Dutch: spektakel — spectacular ceremony
  • French: spectacle — spectacular ceremony
  • Hungarian: ünnepély — spectacular ceremony
  • Italian: cerimonia — spectacular ceremony
  • Polish: parada — spectacular ceremony
  • Polish: pokaz — spectacular ceremony
  • Polish: widowisko — spectacular ceremony
  • Romanian: paradă — spectacular ceremony
  • Russian: предста́вление (predstávlenije) — spectacular ceremony
  • Spanish: espectáculo — spectacular ceremony
  • Spanish: exhibición — spectacular ceremony
  • Spanish: ceremonia — spectacular ceremony
Real reading context

pageant in complete knowledge articles