What does "pavlova" mean?
A meringue dessert usually topped with fruit and cream.
Pavlova
/pævˈləʊvə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A meringue dessert usually topped with fruit and cream.
- Grammar: pavlova is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: family name, meringue dessert, pavlova cake, surname.
- Useful contrasts: first name, given name, main course.
- Usage evidence: Turn off the oven, crack open the oven door and let the Pavlova cool for one hour.
How to use "pavlova"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pavlova" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pavlova" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pavlova" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pavlova" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pavlova" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "family name" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pavlova", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A meringue dessert usually topped with fruit and cream. Australia, New-Zealand, countable, uncountable
"The pavlova — rich in whipped cream and ice-cream — is a wonderful dessert that should appeal to anyone with a sweet tooth."
- 2 Alternative letter-case form of pavlova. alt-of, countable, uncountable
"What about making and freezing one or two Pavlovas topped with an orange curd filling for a simple dessert?"
- 3 a dessert consisting of a meringue base or cup filled with fruit and whipped cream wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A transliteration of the Russian surname Па́влова (Pávlova), the feminine variant of Pavlov.
""YOU WRITE TO MOSCOW": NINA PAVLOVA REVIEWS LISTENERS MAIL. […] LISTENER IS TOLD THAT THERE ARE TWO PAVLOVAS IN BRITISH SECTION -- NINA AND GALINA, AN ANNOUNCER."
- 2 A transliteration of the Russian surname Па́влова (Pávlova), the feminine variant of Pavlov.; Anna Pavlova (Russian ballet dancer).
"LADIES’ DOUBLES “PAVLOVAS.” […] The winners, who literally danced their way into the final, were dubbed the two Pavlovas."
- 3 A female surname from Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, or Slovak, masculine equivalent Pavlov.
- 4 A female surname from Czech or Slovak, masculine equivalent Pavel.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
first namegiven namemain coursesavory dish
Example
"Turn off the oven, crack open the oven door and let the Pavlova cool for one hour."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pavlova"?
Common synonyms include: family name, meringue dessert, pavlova cake, surname.
How do you use "pavlova" in a sentence?
Turn off the oven, crack open the oven door and let the Pavlova cool for one hour.
How do you pronounce "pavlova"?
Pronounced /pævˈləʊvə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From the surname Pavlova, from Russian Па́влова (Pávlova), feminine form of Па́влов (Pávlov), named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova (1881–1931). Australia/New Zealand from circa 1930. Both nations lay claim to origination of the dish and the name. According to research undertaken by the Oxford English Dictionary, however, the earliest known attestation for the term is from New Zealand in 1927.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Russian Па́влова (Pávlova), feminine form of Па́влов (Pávlov).