tavern

noun

tav·​ern ˈta-vərn 

1

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

2

: inn

Synonyms

• bar
• barroom
• café
• cafe
• cantina [Southwest]
• dramshop
• gin mill
• grogshop [chiefly British]
• pub
• public house [chiefly British]
• saloon
• taproom
• watering hole
• watering place

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

Little nooks, like the blue-toned sitting area next to reception and the cozy library beside the tavern that Ricci modeled after one of her favorite spots at Adare Manor in Limerick, Ireland, give you spots in which to relax. —Moira McCarthy, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024

While Memorial Day may be the official start of summer, for a number of Chicagoans, the weekly guest chef throwdowns at this Ukrainian Village tavern, featuring restaurants such as Boeufhaus, Rose Mary, Gibsons and J.P. Graziano, signal the season has truly begun. —Lisa Shames, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2024

The man, who has not been identified publicly, had last been seen at a tavern with two female tourists in Mathraki, west of Corfu Island. —Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 16 June 2024

The property includes a ranch house, tavern bar, stillhouse, bottling house, and barrel barn. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 June 2024

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

Kids Definition

tavern

noun

tav·​ern ˈtav-ərn 

1

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

2

: inn