pagoda

noun

pa·​go·​da pə-ˈgō-də How to pronounce pagoda (audio)
: a tower in eastern Asia usually with roofs curving upward at the division of each of several stories and erected as a temple or memorial

Illustration of pagoda

Illustration of pagoda

Examples of pagoda in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Garfield Park trail: The roughly 1.5-mile trail around Garfield Park on the city's south side takes you past several features, including the pagoda, botanical gardens, playground and aquatic center, and offers ample parking. Jen Guadarrama, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Mar. 2024 There were no young girls floating by in elegant dresses, no scrubbed and spoiled children dressed in their finery and dragged toward churches and pagodas, no whisper of music drifting out of windows. Chantha Nguon, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024 So Las Vegas' Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens has upped the ante with an exhibit worthy of its roar, complete with pagodas, cherry blossom trees, gold coins, and, of course, golden dragons. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2024 The grounds have various ways to entertain guests with its 100-seat amphitheater, pagoda with a firepit, an entertainment pavilion with a full kitchen, a private lake with a sandy beach, and an outdoor shower. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 24 Oct. 2023 The next stop is Hue and Da Nang, filled with temples, pagodas, palaces and tombs. Ceylan Yeginsu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2024 The train meanders through the rice paddies and jungles of Malaysia, over the legendary River Kwai in Thailand, passing by hilltop pagodas. Shraddha Chowdhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Dec. 2023 There also are plenty of snazzy amenities—a guest cottage, gym, 100-seat amphitheater, pagoda with fire-pit, putting green, an infinity-edge pool and spa, and a private lake with its own sandy beach, just for starters. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2023 There, the thickly forested ranges perched on a shelf of cottony clouds, offering a view of the mountaintop complex modeled after 16th century Vietnamese pagodas, including a 10-story belfry, a network of stone staircases and a giant seated Buddha. Patrick Scott, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pagoda.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese pagode statue of a deity, Hindu or Buddhist temple

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pagoda was in 1582

Dictionary Entries Near pagoda

Cite this Entry

“Pagoda.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pagoda. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pagoda

noun
pa·​go·​da pə-ˈgōd-ə How to pronounce pagoda (audio)
: a tower in eastern Asia of several stories erected as a temple or memorial
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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