pageant
/ˈpædʒənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpædʒənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpa-jənt/ (ame, mw)
pageant — noun
- pageantsingular
- pageantsplural
1. an event, often broadcast on television, where young women or girls walk on a st
an event, often broadcast on television, where young women or girls walk on a stage and judges pick a winner based on her looks, personality, and talent.
Kemi entered her first beauty pageant when she was sixteen years old.
collocation: enter a pageant
The winner of the Miss Universe pageant received a diamond crown and a one-year contract.
named pageant: Miss Universe
Many parents in small American towns push their daughters into child beauty pageants.
Indra practiced her stage walk every night before the state pageant in July.
Critics argue that beauty pageants teach girls to value appearance over intelligence.
- beauty contest
everyday synonym; identical meaning
- competition
broader; only specific when paired with 'beauty'
文法句型
beauty pageant
win/enter a pageant
用法筆記
Most common in the compound 'beauty pageant'; modern usage often qualifies with 'child', 'teen', or a named title (Miss Universe, Miss America).
常見錯誤
2. a large outdoor performance, usually with parades and old-style clothes, that re
a large outdoor performance, usually with parades and old-style clothes, that retells events from a town or country's past.
Every July the village stages a pageant about the medieval king who once lived in the castle.
collocation: stage a pageant
Christopher dressed up as a Roman soldier for the town's annual history pageant.
Hundreds of locals took part in the pageant, marching through the streets in 17th-century costumes.
The Lord Mayor's Show in London is one of the oldest pageants in the world.
Schoolchildren wrote and performed a small pageant about the founding of their town.
- historical re-enactment
more specific; emphasises accuracy
- procession
narrower; only the marching part of a pageant
文法句型
a pageant of [subject]
stage/put on a pageant
用法筆記
Distinct from sense 1: this sense centres on a historical re-enactment with costumes and processions, not on judging contestants. Often modified by 'historical', 'medieval', or a place name.
常見錯誤
3. any large, splendid occasion full of bright colours, sound, and movement — for e
any large, splendid occasion full of bright colours, sound, and movement — for example a royal wedding, a state funeral, or a big sporting opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics was a pageant of light, music, and dancers.
pattern: a pageant of [colour/light/sound]
Sivan watched the royal wedding on TV and called it the most beautiful pageant she had ever seen.
The Carnival in Rio is a yearly pageant of feathers, drums, and dancing through the night.
The autumn forest unfolded as a pageant of red, gold, and orange leaves.
The state funeral was a slow, solemn pageant that lasted nearly four hours.
- spectacle
everyday synonym; less formal
- extravaganza
implies excess and flamboyance
- ceremony
narrower; usually formal and ritual
文法句型
a pageant of [colour/light/event]
[event] was a pageant
用法筆記
Often follows 'a pageant of [noun]' to evoke richness or spectacle. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense need not involve costumes or historical content — only grandeur and visual impact.