tavern

noun

tav·​ern ˈta-vərn 

1

: an establishment where alcoholic beverages are sold to be drunk on the premises

2

: inn

Synonyms

• bar
• barroom
• café
• cafe
• cantina [Southwest]
• dramshop
• gin mill
• grogshop [chiefly British]
• pub
• public house [chiefly British]
• saloon
• taproom
• watering hole
• watering place

Examples of tavern in a Sentence

a seedy section of the city's waterfront that was rife with cheap taverns, tattoo parlors, and run-down flophouses

a colonial-era tavern that has been serving weary travelers for two and a half centuries

Recent Examples on the Web

For example, while their living quarters were segregated at their garrison headquarters on Grenada, Black soldiers still fraternized with white ones, especially in taverns. —Kinsey Gidick, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024

Founded in 1908, the business started life as a cellar for aging wines, but decades later the owners added a restaurant, tavern, catering operation and hospitality school. —Sofia Perez, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Five all-new experiences will also debut in 2025, including a new nighttime parade first revealed at this summer’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event and a new Pirates of the Caribbean inspired tavern announced last year. —Eve Chen, The Courier-Journal, 4 Dec. 2024

So everyone can just lay off us and our amazing pizza, the best of which is either tavern style or Pequod’s. —Alice Burton, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English taverne, from Anglo-French, from Latin taberna hut, shop

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tavern

noun

tav·​ern ˈtav-ərn 

1

: an establishment where alcoholic liquors are sold to be drunk on the premises

2

: inn