pew

noun

ˈpyü 

1

: a compartment in the auditorium of a church providing seats for several persons

2

: one of the benches with backs and sometimes doors fixed in rows in a church

Examples of pew in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The list includes Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook and former News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch. Influential podcaster Joe Rogan was also spotted in the pews. —Dan Mangan,kevin Breuninger,spencer Kimball,christina Wilkie,annie Nova,brian Evans,alex Harring,yun Li, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2025

Hundreds of people packed pews at the Metropolitan AME Church Monday, lifted their right hand and pledged to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., Day by defending equality for all, immigration rights and diversity initiatives. —Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2025

Towards the end of the service, another altercation erupted in the pews, prompting yet another round of intervention by cops. —Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 19 Jan. 2025

Security camera footage shows Sommers leaving his pew, rushing up to the altar near the end of the service and attempting to strike Rev. David Gaines in the face. —Megan Forrester, ABC News, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pewe, from Middle French dialect (Picardy) puie balustrade, from Latin podia, plural of podium parapet, podium, from Greek podion base, diminutive of pod-, pous foot — more at foot

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pew

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

pew

noun

ˈpyü 

: one of the benches with backs and sometimes doors set in rows in a church