pavilion

pavilion — noun

1. a large temporary structure, often like a tent, where people display, sell, or p

1.noun
Definition

a large temporary structure, often like a tent, where people display, sell, or present something at an event

Example

At the night market, the tea company decorated its pavilion with red lanterns.

company pavilion at an event

We tasted mango ice cream at a food pavilion near the gate.

food pavilion

Common collocations
  • food pavilion
  • country pavilion
  • expo pavilion
Synonyms
  • tent

    the broad everyday word and often less formal

  • marquee

    especially in British English, a large event tent

  • booth

    smaller and usually for selling or giving information

  • stand

    often used for an exhibition or sales area rather than the whole structure

Grammar Patterns

food pavilion

country pavilion

expo pavilion

Usage Note

Often used at fairs, festivals, and world expos, especially with a word naming the country, company, or activity. Distinguish from sense 5, which usually refers to a permanent park or garden structure.

Common Mistakes

The garden pavilion was taken down after the weekend fair.
The event pavilion was taken down after the weekend fair.
Sense 4 often describes a temporary structure, unlike the permanent shelter in sense 5.

2. a small building beside a sports ground where players change, rest, and sometime

2.noun
Definition

a small building beside a sports ground where players change, rest, and sometimes watch the game

Example

The captain walked back to the pavilion after the lunch break.

return to the pavilion

Parents waited outside the pavilion while the girls changed for hockey.

Common collocations
  • cricket pavilion
  • return to the pavilion
  • from the pavilion
Synonyms
  • clubhouse

    common at golf, tennis, or cricket clubs and often used more broadly for members

  • field house

    an American term for a sports-support building, sometimes larger than a pavilion

  • grandstand

    mainly the seating area for spectators, not the players' changing space

Grammar Patterns

cricket pavilion

return to the pavilion

watch from the pavilion

Usage Note

Most common in cricket and other field-sport settings. Distinguish from sense 3, which names the main building where the event happens.

Common Mistakes

The team ran back to the stadium after lunch.
The team ran back to the pavilion after lunch.
In this sense, the pavilion is the smaller building beside the ground, not the main venue.

3. an attractive open structure set in parks or gardens where people rest, meet, li

3.noun
Definition

an attractive open structure set in parks or gardens where people rest, meet, listen to music, or dance

Example

The band played old songs in the park pavilion on Saturday night.

park pavilion

Grandpa read the newspaper in a garden pavilion after breakfast.

garden pavilion

Common collocations
  • park pavilion
  • garden pavilion
  • lakeside pavilion
Synonyms
  • gazebo

    usually smaller and mainly built for sitting or enjoying the view

  • bandstand

    specifically designed for musicians to perform in a park

  • shelter

    a broad practical word that does not suggest beauty or style

  • summerhouse

    often more enclosed and private than a public pavilion

Grammar Patterns

park pavilion

garden pavilion

rent the pavilion

Usage Note

Usually refers to an open-sided structure in a park, garden, or recreation area. Distinguish from sense 4, which is commonly temporary and tied to public events.

4. a large building where sports events, concerts, and other public shows are held

4.noun
Definition

a large building where sports events, concerts, and other public shows are held

Example

The city pavilion filled with music fans before the evening show.

city pavilion

Workers swept the pavilion floor after the high school basketball final.

Common collocations
  • concert pavilion
  • inside the pavilion
  • city pavilion
Synonyms
  • arena

    often stresses large sports or concert events

  • hall

    a broad word for a large building or room used for events

  • venue

    the widest term and not limited to a building

  • stadium

    mainly for very large sports grounds with spectator seating

Grammar Patterns

city pavilion

inside the pavilion

concert pavilion

Usage Note

This sense usually refers to the main venue for a public event. Distinguish from sense 1, which is the smaller building next to a sports field.

Common Mistakes

We met in a food pavilion for the concert.
We met in the pavilion for the concert.
Sense 3 is the large venue itself; a food pavilion usually belongs to sense 4.

5. a named building or section in a larger place, often used for one special purpos

5.noun
Definition

a named building or section in a larger place, often used for one special purpose

Example

The children's pavilion stands across the road from the main hospital.

named unit in a complex

The museum opened a science pavilion for children beside the old stone hall.

Common collocations
  • children's pavilion
  • cancer pavilion
  • east pavilion
Synonyms
  • wing

    the usual word for one section of a larger building

  • unit

    a broad administrative or functional term, not always a separate building

  • block

    often used for a solid building section rather than a named pavilion

Grammar Patterns

children's pavilion

cancer pavilion

east pavilion

Usage Note

Often appears in the name of a hospital, museum, school, or other large site, with a word before pavilion showing its function. Distinguish from sense 4: this sense refers to a permanent part of a larger place.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/4

For noun/4, pavilion usually means a large temporary structure at a fair, expo, or festival. Tent is the broad everyday word and can describe anything from a small camping shelter to a big event space. Marquee, especially in British English, suggests a large tent rented for weddings or formal events. Booth is much smaller and is mainly for selling, displaying, or giving information. Hall usually describes a permanent indoor building, so it often does not fit expo scenes. You might visit the Japan pavilion at a world fair, buy tickets at a booth nearby, and later eat in a marquee set up for guests.

pavilion ↗tent ↗marqueebooth ↗hall ↗

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Pavilion came into English through French from Latin papilio, a word that could mean both a butterfly and a tent. The tent meaning probably grew from the image of cloth spread out like wings. English first used pavilion for a tent or temporary shelter, and later extended it to sports buildings, exhibition structures, and decorative park shelters.