pageant

English

Alternative forms

• pageaunt (obsolete)

Etymology

From Medieval Latin pagina. late 14c., "play in a cycle of mystery plays," perhaps from Latin pagina (“page of a book”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpædʒɨnt̚/, /ˈpædʒənt/

Noun

pageant (plural pageants)

1. An elaborate public display, especially a parade in historical or traditional costume.
2. A spectacular ceremony.
3. A beauty pageant.
4. An elaborate exhibition devised for the entertainment of a distinguished personage, or of the public; a show, spectacle, or display.
   • 1826, Mary Shelley, The Last Man, volume 3, chapter 4

     For a few moments the events of the day floated in disastrous pageant through my brain, till sleep bathed it in forgetfulness [...]

Synonyms

• (elaborate public display): spectacle
• (beauty pageant): beauty pageant

Derived terms

• pageanter
• pageantry
• beauty pageant

Translations

public display

• French: cortège (fr) m
• German: Festzug m
• Italian: parata (it) f, mostra (it) f, esposizione (it) f, esibizione (it) f, spettacolo pubblico m

• Japanese: 野外劇 (やがいげき, yagaigeki)
• Romanian: procesiune (ro) f, cortegiu (ro) n
• Russian: зре́лище (ru) (zrélišče)
• Spanish: muestra (es) f, cabalgata (es) f, comparsa f

spectacular ceremony

• French: spectacle (fr) m
• Italian: cerimonia (it) f

• Romanian: paradă (ro) f
• Russian: предста́вление (ru) (predstávlenije)
• Spanish: espectáculo (es) m, exhibición (es) f, ceremonia (es) f

beauty pageant — see beauty pageant

Verb

pageant (third-person singular simple present pageants, present participle pageanting, simple past and past participle pageanted)

1. To exhibit in show; to represent; to mimic.
   • Shakespeare

     He pageants us.