pagoda

American  

[puh-goh-duh] / pəˈgoʊ də /

noun

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

• pagodalike
  adjective
• subpagoda
  noun

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 a pagoda in the suburb of Amarapura, a statue of a reclining Buddha emerges from a carefully arranged pile of brick rubble, its face respectfully cleaned.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Be sure to end the meal with the banana pagoda, a playful dessert presented in a chocolate box that’s smashed tableside for a bit of theatrical flair.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026

Over at Shrubsole, I couldn’t look away from the contemporaneous Chinoiserie “epergne,” a botanically themed silver serving dish whose nine separate floating bowls are surmounted by a pagoda roof topped with a pineapple.

From New York Times • Jan. 18, 2024

Its most beloved dishes are Americanized favorites, its lion statues and elaborately painted pagoda facade at once charming and a little cringe.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 26, 2023

But we spent the night there, turning the pagoda into a little fortress, and then for the next seven or eight days we used the place as a base of operations.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

Related Words

• gazebo
• memorial
• shrine
• temple