pageant

noun

pag·​eant ˈpa-jənt How to pronounce pageant (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
García represented Nicaragua at the Miss Universe pageant held in Mexico, where she was placed among the Top 30. Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 15 May 2025 Hudson was named second runner-up, but the two left the pageant hand-in-hand. Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 15 May 2025 James Hansen The pageant of the handshake, with a better ending? Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 12 May 2025 The 24-year-old competed in the interview, evening gown and swimsuit portions of the competition, and entered the event ranked No. 7 in the pageant’s online voting system. Durham Herald-Sun, Boston Herald, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for pageant

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of pageant was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pageant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pageant. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

pageant

noun
pag·​eant ˈpaj-ənt How to pronounce pageant (audio)
1
: an impressive exhibition or spectacle
2
: an entertainment consisting of scenes based on history or legend

More from Merriam-Webster on pageant

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