# pavilion

/pəˈvɪɫjən/ (US) · /pɐvˈɪliən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pavilion
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. park or garden shelter

noun · CEFR B2

a light building with a roof, usually in a park or public garden, used for shelter or rest.

For teachers: a light, often open-sided roofed structure located in a public park or garden for recreational use.

- We sat in the park pavilion to stay dry during the sudden rain shower.
- The Victorian pavilion in the centre of the gardens remains a popular spot for summer brass band performances.

### 2. sports building

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a building at a sports ground where players change their clothes and wait to play.

For teachers: a building at a sports ground, particularly for cricket, providing changing rooms and facilities for players and officials.

- The cricket players walked back to the pavilion after the match ended.
- The historic wooden pavilion offers a panoramic view of the pitch, housing both the locker rooms and the members' dining hall.

### 3. exhibition hall

noun · CEFR B2

a large building or temporary structure used to show products or art at a fair.

For teachers: a large, sometimes temporary, building used for housing exhibits at a public fair, exhibition, or international expo.

- The Italian pavilion at the world fair showed the latest car designs.
- Architects from around the world competed to design the national pavilion for the upcoming international trade expo.

### 4. ornate tent

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a large, beautiful tent, often with a peaked roof.

For teachers: a large, decorative tent, historically used by royalty or for grand outdoor events.

- The king stayed in a silk pavilion during the summer festival.
- The knights gathered beneath a crimson pavilion, its heavy fabric snapping in the wind before the tournament began.

### 5. hospital wing

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

one of several separate buildings that make up a large hospital.

For teachers: one of a series of detached or semi-detached buildings forming part of a larger institution, such as a hospital.

- The maternity ward is located in the north pavilion of the hospital.
- The hospital was designed with a pavilion layout to ensure that each ward received maximum sunlight and fresh air.

### 6. outer ear

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the visible, curved part of the ear on the outside of the head.

For teachers: the visible cartilaginous part of the outer ear; also known as the auricle.

- The doctor examined the pavilion of the patient's ear for signs of infection.
- The anatomical structure of the pavilion is designed to funnel sound waves into the auditory canal.

### 7. to provide with a pavilion

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to put someone or something inside a pavilion or to cover them with one.

For teachers: to furnish with or shelter within a pavilion; often used figuratively in literary contexts.

- The garden was pavilioned with white silk for the wedding ceremony.
- The poet described the mountain peaks as being pavilioned in thick, golden clouds at sunset.

## Examples

- We sat in the garden pavilion to stay out of the sun.
- The cricket players returned to the pavilion for tea after the first session of the match.
- The international expo featured a massive glass pavilion designed to showcase the latest advancements in renewable energy technology to thousands of daily visitors.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.