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

The historic Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street is a monument to the gay rights movement, which was galvanized by a 1969 rebellion there, sparked by a police raid of the tavern, largely led by trans people. —The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 14 Feb. 2025

Miles Teller and Zac Efron were seen hanging out in the back of the tavern, socializing and taking photos with Barkley amid his circle. —Skyler Caruso, People.com, 11 Feb. 2025

Decades later a Memphis tavern owner and a former FBI agent both also claimed a figure named Raoul was behind the killing. —Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2025

Officials said the tavern was likely targeted because of its proximity to Wall Street and because of its colonial past which dates back to the days of George Washington. —Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2025

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

Rhymes for tavern

• cavern

Kids Definition

tavern

noun

tav·​ern ˈtav-ərn 

1

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

2

: inn