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• pub
  pub

  noun

  a bar or tavern.
• pub.
  pub.

  abbreviation

  public.

pub

¹ American  

[puhb] / pʌb /

noun

1. a bar or tavern.

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pub. ² American  

abbreviation

1. public.

2. publication.

3. published.

4. publisher.

5. publishing.

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pub. ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. public

2. publication

3. published

4. publisher

5. publishing

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pub ² British  

/ pʌb /

noun

1. Formal name: public house.  a building with a bar and one or more public rooms licensed for the sale and consumption of alcoholic drink, often also providing light meals

2. a hotel

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verb

1. informal (intr) to visit a pub or pubs (esp in the phrase go pubbing )

Etymology

Origin of pub

First recorded in 1855–60; short for public house

Explanation

A pub is a bar or tavern that serves food and often acts as a community gathering place. People visit pubs to eat lunch, to drink beer, or to play darts with their friends. Pub is a shortened form of public house that dates from 1859. In the sixteenth century, a public house was first "any building open to the public," and then "an inn that sells food and drink." Today, the word pub is more or less synonymous with tavern — both are primarily places to drink beer, wine, or spirits, though a pub (especially in Great Britain) is seen as vital to its neighborhood, a cozy place to gather.

Example Sentences

The British Beer and Pub Association told The Sun the latest announcement was "a win for pubs, jobs and community spirit".

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

After my indulgent dinner, the wonderfully divey Kelly’s Sports Pub provided a more grounded experience.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

Some 16,000 pubs closed between 2000 and 2025, according to the British Beer and Pub Association.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

Pub regular, Michael Tucker, 79, said: "It is my second home, the house is empty, my wife is in a home. So I come down and get some nice company."

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2025

The bartender told me Dad had gone to the Pub, which was a notch below the Howdy House—almost pitch black, with a sticky bar top and no food at all.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Related Words

• bar
• inn
• lounge
• saloon
• tavern