Meaning & use
a pavilion
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Meanings
nouncountable
a building in a park or garden, often open at the sides, used for shelter, events or entertainment
Grammar: Countable; commonly used with 'in' or 'at': meet at the pavilion.
Patterns
- a park pavilion
- hold an event in a pavilion
- the bandstand pavilion
The wedding reception was held in a wooden pavilion by the lake.
A small pavilion at the edge of the park sells ice cream.
They restored the Victorian pavilion last year.
nouncountable
a large temporary structure at an exhibition or fair where countries or companies show their goods
Grammar: Countable; often followed by a name: the Chinese pavilion, the tech pavilion.
Patterns
- the national pavilion
- visit a pavilion at an exhibition
- the company pavilion
We spent an hour in the science pavilion.
Each country built its own pavilion for the world fair.
nouncountableBritishsport
a building at a sports ground where players change and spectators sit, especially in cricket
Grammar: Countable; in British English usually 'the pavilion' without 'a' when the ground is known.
Patterns
- walk back to the pavilion
- the cricket pavilion
- applause from the pavilion
The batsman walked slowly back to the pavilion.
Members watched the match from the pavilion.
Word forms
| plural | pavilions |
|---|
Common combinations
- a cricket pavilion
- The cricket pavilion dates from 1890.
- the national pavilion
- Italy's national pavilion drew long queues.
- a wedding pavilion
- They booked a wedding pavilion in the hotel gardens.
- a summer pavilion
- The summer pavilion hosts concerts in July.
- a pavilion roof
- The pavilion roof curves up at the corners.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gazebo
- A small open garden shelter, usually round or eight-sided; 'pavilion' is bigger and can host events.
- stand
- The seating structure at a sports ground; it covers only the spectator sense, not park buildings.
- marquee
- A large tent used for parties; it is temporary fabric, while a pavilion is usually a solid building.
Commonly confused: a pavilion or pavillion? a pavilion or pavement?
a pavilion vs pavillion
A common misspelling with a double 'l'; the correct spelling has one 'l' before the ending: pavilion.
a pavilion vs pavement
The hard surface you walk on beside a road; it shares the first letters but means something completely different.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pavilion' in the exhibition sense?
Choose one answer.
At an exhibition, each country or company has a pavilion, so the Japanese pavilion fits. Option 0 is the cricket sense, and options 2 and 3 refer to a garden building.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a pavilion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.