pergola

noun

per·​go·​la ˈpər-gə-lə  pər-ˈgō- 

1

: arbor, trellis

2

: a structure usually consisting of parallel colonnades supporting an open roof of girders and cross rafters

Examples of pergola in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There isn’t just a lounger-ringed pool, but also a clear view of the Adriatic Sea, as well as a pergola and outdoor shower which beg visitors to spend just about every minute of their time here outside. —Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 25 Mar. 2026

This historic home and city landmark features original fencing and a pergola, a three-car garage, a carriage house and an architectural studio added in 1935. —Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026

The Royal Breakfast Room, where the Queen and Prince Philip would dine privately, is hung with magnificent Flemish tapestries, woven around 1650, featuring a beautiful design of a pergola framing an ornate vase filled with flowers. —Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 7 Mar. 2026

Instead of just a standard pergola that blocks some sun, for example, homeowners are increasingly looking to tinted and louvered roofs, oversized ceiling fans for air flow and retractable screens. —Kelley Bruss, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from Latin pergula

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1