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pergola

American  
[pur-guh-luh] / ˈpɜr gə lə /

noun

  1. an arbor formed of horizontal trelliswork supported on columns or posts, over which vines or other plants are trained.

  2. a colonnade having the form of such an arbor.


pergola British  
/ ˈpɜːɡələ /

noun

  1. a horizontal trellis or framework, supported on posts, that carries climbing plants and may form a covered walk

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of pergola

1645–55; < Italian < Latin pergula projecting roof, arbor

Explanation

A pergola is a wooden structure in a garden that's made for climbing plants. For example, you might have an ivy-covered pergola in your yard. Other words for pergola are trellis or arbor. When gardeners plant climbing roses or ivy or other plants that like to wind upward around supports as they grow, they often use a pergola. The frame holds the vines and also provides a decorative arch that looks pretty in a garden or yard. The word pergola is Italian, from the Latin pergula, "projecting roof," which is most likely rooted in pergere, "to come forward."

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The migrants rescued by MSF spent four days at sea, the last two without food or water, after setting off from eastern Libya, near Benghazi, on April 1, the charity's spokesperson Flavia Pergola said.

From Reuters • Apr. 5, 2023

Stacy Elmore, co-founder of The Luxury Pergola in Noblesville, Indiana, said the cost of providing health insurance for eight workers has spiked 39% over the past year — to $10,000 a month.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 14, 2023

He’s also eager for the restored Washington Street Boat Landing Pergola to open, along with a new beach below.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 5, 2019

They sat inside Cafe Pergola, sipping tea, with one eye on the tennis scoreboards and another on the portable television they tuned to the World Cup.

From New York Times • Jun. 24, 2010

Influential friends provided for my education, so that I might enter the chorus at the Pergola, in Florence.

From Withered Leaves. Vol. III.(of III) A Novel by Gottschall, Rudolf von

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