pageant

noun

pag·​eant ˈpa-jənt 

1

a

: a mere show : pretense

b

: an ostentatious display

2

: show, exhibition

especially : an elaborate colorful exhibition or spectacle often with music that consists of a series of tableaux, of a loosely unified drama, or of a procession usually with floats

3

: pageantry sense 1

Synonyms

• parade
• presentation
• panorama

Examples of pageant in a Sentence

They disagreed with the pageant judges.

Their church puts on an annual Christmas pageant.

Recent Examples on the Web

Loren got her start in beauty pageants as a young girl before turning to acting in the 1950s. —Juliana Ukiomogbe, Architectural Digest, 29 Sep. 2025

The movie starred Vale Cooper as a young version of the former pageant competitor. —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Sep. 2025

Tyra Spaulding, a 26-year-old former finalist in the 2023 Miss Universe Jamaica pageant, has died in what police are investigating as a possible suicide. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 26 Sep. 2025

As Haas gained popularity around the world, so did speed-painting in the pageant community. —Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pagyn, padgeant, literally, scene of a play, from Anglo-French pagine, pagent, from Medieval Latin pagina, perhaps from Latin, page

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

pageant

noun

pag·​eant ˈpaj-ənt 

1

: an impressive exhibition or spectacle

2

: an entertainment consisting of scenes based on history or legend