pub

pub — noun

1. a place in the UK or Ireland where adults gather to drink beer, wine, or other a

1.nounA2
Definition

a place in the UK or Ireland where adults gather to drink beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages, and often also order food

Example

Trang and her friends met at the local pub after work on Friday.

collocation: at the pub

The old pub on the corner serves excellent fish and chips.

collocation: pub serves [food]

Common collocations
  • local pub
  • go to the pub
  • country pub
  • pub lunch
  • pub food
  • pub owner
  • pub garden
  • landlord of a pub
  • meet at the pub
Synonyms
  • bar

    more general term; the usual American English word for a drinking establishment

  • tavern

    older or more formal term for a place where alcohol is served, sometimes also offering accommodation

  • inn

    traditional term for a pub that also provides rooms for travellers to stay overnight

Usage Note

Pub is the usual word in British and Irish English for a place that serves alcoholic drinks. In American English, bar is more common. A pub often feels warmer and more focused on food and socialising than a regular bar.

Common Mistakes

We went to a pub near the beach in California.
We went to a bar near the beach in California.
In American English, the usual word for a place serving alcoholic drinks is bar; pub sounds distinctly British.

pub — abbreviation

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Pub, bar, tavern, and inn all refer to places where alcoholic drinks are served, but they differ in geography, atmosphere, and focus. Pub (short for public house) is the everyday word in the UK and Ireland for a relaxed establishment that often serves food and has a welcoming, community feel. Bar is the dominant term in American English and can range from a loud nightclub to a quiet cocktail lounge; it puts less emphasis on food. Tavern is an older, more formal word that in modern usage sometimes suggests a themed or historical setting. Inn is a traditional term for a pub that also offers overnight accommodation, common in rural areas and on road signs in Britain. For example, you would say 'Let's go to the pub for Sunday lunch' in London, but 'Let's grab a drink at the bar' in New York. You might stay at a country inn while hiking, and visit a tavern that serves ale in costume at a historical festival.

pub ↗bar ↗taverninn ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • pub lunch
  • pub owner
  • pub garden
  • pub food
  • pub quiz

Phrases

  • go down the pub
  • local pub
  • country pub

Prepositions

  • at the pub
  • in a pub
  • to the pub

Etymology

LatinAnglo-FrenchEnglishEnglish (shortened)

Pub is a shortened form of public house, which dates from the 17th century as a term for a building open to the general public that sold alcoholic drinks. The abbreviation pub first appeared in the mid-1800s and quickly became the everyday word in Britain and Ireland. The public part comes from Latin publicus (of the people), and house comes from Old English hūs (a dwelling or building).