tavern

noun

tav·​ern ˈta-vərn 

1

: an establishment where alcoholic beverages are sold to be drunk on the premises

2

: inn

Synonyms of tavern

• pub
• saloon
• bar

Examples of tavern in a Sentence

a seedy section of the city's waterfront that was rife with cheap taverns, tattoo parlors, and run-down flophouses

a colonial-era tavern that has been serving weary travelers for two and a half centuries

Recent Examples on the Web

The child of alcoholics, Dreesen often referenced his rough-and-tumble upbringing in his comedy sets, telling tales of little Tommy shining shoes in the taverns of the South Side to feed his siblings. —Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026

The tavern was never about the beer. —Peter Su, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

These include White Horse Tavern, widely considered the oldest operating tavern in the United States, and Touro Synagogue, the country's oldest synagogue. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026

Among the terms of a Good Neighbor Agreement is that bar owners must maintain a no-weapons policy, fund and maintain security cameras, share footage with police, and pay $1,000 to the CID for each violent tavern disturbance involving police if more than one disturbance happens in a year. —Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English taverne, from Anglo-French, from Latin taberna hut, shop

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tavern

• cavern

Kids Definition

tavern

noun

tav·​ern ˈtav-ərn 

1

: an establishment where alcoholic liquors are sold to be drunk on the premises

2

: inn