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

Immigrant families brought Old World recipes and a fierce commitment to hospitality to Iowa’s capital, opening humble groceries, taverns and corner cafés that gradually evolved into full‑service dining rooms. —Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 6 Mar. 2026

There are 50,000 video gambling terminals, in most of the taverns and convenience stores in the state. —Jim Nowlan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026

This years’ celebration kicks off on the afternoon of March 7 with the official Shamrock Stroll, a pub crawl visiting more than a dozen of the city’s taverns and bars. —Katie Riley, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026

It was intended to commemorate the uprising at the Stonewall Inn tavern in New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood a year earlier. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 3 Mar. 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