pageants
pageants — noun
- pageantssingular
- pageantsesplural
1. a competition that rates participants, historically young women, by their looks,
a competition that rates participants, historically young women, by their looks, skills, and character, with judges selecting a winner
Ritu's older sister won the town beauty pageant when she was eighteen.
compound: beauty pageant
The Miss World pageant attracts contestants from more than a hundred countries every year.
Many small towns held a summer pageant where local girls competed for a crown.
Tariro entered the charity pageant hoping to raise money for her nephew's school.
Critics say beauty pageants put too much pressure on young people about their looks.
- beauty contest
more direct and slightly informal; often used critically
- competition
broader term; not specific to appearance-based judging
- scholarship pageant
a subtype where the winner receives educational funds
文法句型
pageant + noun (compound: beauty pageant, pageant winner)
用法筆記
Often used as part of a compound: beauty pageant, swimsuit pageant, charity pageant. The word can carry a slightly old-fashioned or critical tone when discussing modern competitions.
常見錯誤
2. an outdoor performance in which community members dress in costumes from a past
an outdoor performance in which community members dress in costumes from a past era and act out scenes or events from local history
The town holds an annual historical pageant that re-creates village life in the year 1684.
compound: historical pageant
Sirin sewed her own costume for the medieval pageant in the park last August.
Cyrus played a Viking warrior in the outdoor pageant his school organised for parents.
The pageant ended with a colourful parade of horses and carts through the main square.
Local families come to watch the living-history pageant about the Battle of Hastings every summer.
- historical reenactment
more focused on accuracy of specific events than general atmosphere
- tableau
a static, picture-like scene; less movement than a pageant
- costume parade
focuses on the clothing aspect rather than the storytelling
文法句型
historical pageant
pageant + about/of + noun
用法筆記
This sense is more common in British English than American English. It typically refers to a community event rather than a commercial show. Frequently modified by 'historical', 'medieval', or 'living-history'.
常見錯誤
3. a large, visually impressive public event or celebration that is designed to ent
a large, visually impressive public event or celebration that is designed to entertain, amaze, or create a sense of occasion
The king's coronation was a magnificent pageant watched by millions around the world.
collocation: magnificent pageant
Organisers promised a colourful pageant to celebrate the city's five-hundredth anniversary.
The opening ceremony was less a serious event and more a joyful visual pageant.
Emma remembered the flower parade as a stunning pageant of colour and music.
文法句型
pageant + of + noun (pageant of colour/flower)
用法筆記
Unlike senses 1 and 2, this sense does not imply a competition or a historical narrative. It emphasises visual richness and public display. Often used in a positive or admiring tone.