pageant
Americannoun
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an elaborate public spectacle illustrative of the history of a place, institution, or the like, often given in dramatic form or as a procession of colorful floats.
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a costumed procession, masque, allegorical tableau, or the like forming part of public or social festivities.
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a show or exhibition, especially one consisting of a succession of participants or events.
a beauty pageant.
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something comparable to a procession in colorful variety, splendor, or grandeur.
the pageant of Renaissance history.
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a pretentious display or show that conceals a lack of real importance or meaning.
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(in medieval times) a platform or stage, usually moving on wheels, on which scenes from mystery plays were presented.
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display or pageantry.
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Obsolete. a stage bearing any kind of spectacle.
noun
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an elaborate colourful parade or display portraying scenes from history, esp one involving rich costume
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any magnificent or showy display, procession, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of pageant
1350–1400; Middle English pagyn, pagaunt, pagand < Anglo-Latin pāgina a stage for plays, scene, platform, perhaps special use of Latin pāgina page 1
Explanation
A pageant is an elaborate show or parade that usually depicts a historical or religious event, although these days more people know them as Miss America-type beauty contests. Pageants aren't just for beauty queens — any richly decorated spectacle or ceremony could be considered a pageant. Around Christmas time, many Christian churches put on pageants that reenact the birth of Jesus. The Carnival parades in Brazil represent another type of pageant. And if your school organized a show where students had to act out famous moments in history? That would be a pageant, too.
Vocabulary lists containing pageant
List 9
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Stella by Starlight
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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.
See Examples For:
Meanwhile, every village in the Philippines has a basketball court that is easily converted into a beauty pageant runway, and boxing gyms run by prizefighters are spread across major cities.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
The opera unfolds more like a pageant than a drama.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
For the past 10 years Thilothama has returned to Koovagam, where a beauty pageant and singing contests are held alongside religious rituals.
From Barron's ● May 3, 2026
Unfolding under the theatrical auspices of Imeldific, “Here Lies Love” retells the history of the Marcos years as a musical pageant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2026
“I know. I went shopping for the pageant with Mrs. Walton.”
From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles
Founded in the Bay Area in 1965, the organization hosts drag pageants to raise funds for the LGBTQ+ community, namely to help those contending with HIV/AIDS and homelessness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
The shorts often satirize Christmas traditions such as gift-giving and pageants.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2025
Miss Universe, founded in the US, is one of the longest-running beauty pageants on the planet, alongside UK-based Miss World.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2025
More than 120 women from across the world have gathered in Thailand, vying to be crowned Miss Universe in a contest considered one of the "big four" of global beauty pageants.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2025
Inspired by Harriot Stanton Blatch, Paul wanted to use pageants and parades to rekindle interest in a federal amendment for women’s suffrage, as well as to influence members of Congress.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
