pageant

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Medieval Latin pagina. Late 14c., "play in a cycle of mystery plays", perhaps from Latin pagina (page of a book).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈpædʒənt/

Noun

pageant (plural pageants)

  1. An elaborate public display, especially a parade in historical or traditional costume.
    • 1826, Mary Shelley, The Last Man, volume 3, chapter 4
      For a few moments the events of the day floated in disastrous pageant through my brain, till sleep bathed it in forgetfulness []
  2. A spectacular ceremony.
  3. A beauty pageant.
  4. (obsolete) A wheeled platform for the exhibition of plays, etc.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

pageant (third-person singular simple present pageants, present participle pageanting, simple past and past participle pageanted)

  1. To exhibit in show; to represent; to mimic.
    • Shakespeare
      He pageants us.

Anagrams

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.