pagoda

American  

[puh-goh-duh] / pəˈgoʊ də /

noun

pagodas plural

1. in India, Myanmar (Burma), China, etc., a temple or sacred building, usually a pyramidlike tower and typically having upward-curving roofs over the individual stories.

2. any of several former gold or silver coins of southern India, usually bearing a figure of such a temple, first issued in the late 16th century and later also by British, French, and Dutch traders.

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pagoda British  

/ pəˈɡəʊdə /

noun

1. an Indian or Far Eastern temple, esp a tower, usually pyramidal and having many storeys

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pagoda Cultural  

1. A tower with several different stories, each of which has its own roof. Pagodas are common in eastern Asia and originally served religious purposes as memorials or shrines.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subpagoda
  noun
• pagodalike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pagodas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pagoda

First recorded in 1625–35; from Portuguese pagode “temple,” ultimately from Persian butkada ( but “idol” + kada “temple, dwelling”)

Explanation

A pagoda is a tiered building that rises to a point. Most pagodas have some religious significance and are found in Asia. One particular type of Buddhist or Taoist temple rises in the shape of a pyramid or a rounded pyramid — this is called a pagoda. The word may make you think of China or Japan, and in fact most pagodas are found in those two countries, as well as other parts of Asia, including Cambodia, Nepal, and India. Pagoda comes from the Portuguese pagode, although its origin is uncertain. One possible root is the Tamil word pagavadi, "house belonging to a deity."

Example Sentences

At Amarapura's Nagayon Pagoda, a Buddha statue reduced to just two legs and hands on a pedestal has been fully restored, looking out with a serene gaze.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

After that the group was split, with some staying temporarily at the Best Western Plus Dragon Gate Inn or the Royal Pagoda Motel.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 28, 2024

They moved to the Pagoda Hotel there in 2019 and continued until at least 2020.

From New York Times • Apr. 17, 2024

In 2009, under a previous military government, then military ruler Gen. Than Shwe consecrated the Uppatasanti Pagoda, a replica in Naypyitaw of the country’s famous Shwedagon pagoda, which sits in Yangon, the country’s biggest city.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2023

I will avoid the Pagoda Mall for the rest of my life if I have to.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King

Related Words

• gazebo
• memorial
• shrine
• temple