pub
noun
a bar or tavern.
pub
1 American
[puhb]
/ pʌb /
noun
-
pubs
plural
pub.
2
American
abbreviation
-
public.
-
publication.
-
published.
-
publisher.
-
publishing.
pub.
1
British
abbreviation
-
public
-
publication
-
published
-
publisher
-
publishing
pub
2
British
/ pʌb /
noun
-
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
-
a hotel
verb
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
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:
So far they have managed to get the pub listed as An Asset of Community Value under the Localism Act 2011.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The 66-year-old took over The Royal Mail Cart pub in Spalding, in August 2025, hoping to attract customers with live music nights and "a sense of community".
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Somehow he has de-dissolved, and we find him working in an Edinburgh pub, looking like an ordinary Englishman, rather than a mechanical man.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
"They were very good value in the pub afterwards," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
They heard a snatch of laughter and pop music as the pub door opened and closed; then they heard a carol start up inside the little church.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
He recalls coming to the pub when he and his wife “were courting. I’ve since brought my children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren into the pub. It’s a family tradition for us.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2024
"It's a devastating blow for villages to lose their only pub. We are a social hub."
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2023
“That was a pub. That was a pub. That was a pub.”
From Washington Post ● Jun. 15, 2018
He said, "Oh, I'll go down to the pub. I'll read the paper."
From The Verge ● Oct. 14, 2015
“I don’t know his name. He came in our pub. He was talking about you. His dæmon’s a hyena with three legs.”
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
"There are some nice pubs and small bars, though most things close around midnight," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a 20% cut in business rates for qualifying pubs, social clubs and live music venues in England, effective from April 2027.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
“I was sick of only being able to go to pubs with my dog,” Johnson said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
The move follows Burnham's announcement in the summer that pubs, clubs and social venues would see 20% cuts to business rates from April.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
“It’s not that unusual, yeh get a lot o’ funny folk in the Hog’s Head — that’s one o’ the pubs down in the village.
From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling
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