tent meeting: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (specialized historical/cultural term)Formal, historical, religious; occasionally used descriptively in modern contexts.
Quick answer
What does “tent meeting” mean?
A religious service or revival gathering held in a large tent, often associated with evangelical Christianity.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A religious service or revival gathering held in a large tent, often associated with evangelical Christianity.
An outdoor or temporary religious assembly, typically for preaching, worship, and community gathering; historically significant in Protestant revival movements.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More strongly associated with American religious history (e.g., Billy Sunday, sawdust trails). In UK, may be associated with Methodist or Pentecostal camp meetings, but term 'tent mission' is equally common.
Connotations
US: Frontier revivalism, evangelical outreach. UK: Nonconformist traditions, summer evangelistic campaigns.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but higher recognition in US due to historical cultural prevalence.
Grammar
How to Use “tent meeting” in a Sentence
[Congregation] attended a tent meeting.[Preacher] led/organised a tent meeting.[Town] hosted a tent meeting.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tent meeting” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The Methodist tent meeting drew hundreds from neighbouring villages.
- They organised a fortnight-long tent meeting on the common.
American English
- The traveling evangelist's tent meeting filled every night for a week.
- Tent meetings were a key feature of the Second Great Awakening.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in historical, religious studies, or sociology of religion contexts.
Everyday
Rare; understood mainly in religious communities or regions with strong revivalist history.
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “tent meeting”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “tent meeting”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tent meeting”
- Using 'tent meeting' for any outdoor business or scouting meeting (incorrect). Confusing with 'camping trip'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Very similar, but a 'camp meeting' often implies attendees camped onsite for multiple days, while a 'tent meeting' might be a daily event in a tent.
Yes, primarily by some evangelical, Pentecostal, and missionary groups, though they are less common than in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Typically involves hymn singing, prayer, fervent preaching, and an 'altar call' for repentance or commitment.
It is highly unusual and likely to cause confusion. The term is strongly tied to its religious historical context.
A religious service or revival gathering held in a large tent, often associated with evangelical Christianity.
Tent meeting is usually formal, historical, religious; occasionally used descriptively in modern contexts. in register.
Tent meeting: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtent ˈmiːtɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtɛnt ˈmitɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Pitch a tent for a meeting (literal preparation)”
- “Sawdust trail (metonymy for tent revival experience)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a TENT where people MEET to repent – a classic revival scene.
Conceptual Metaphor
RELIGIOUS REVIVAL IS A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION (implies impermanence but intense purpose).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate description of a 'tent meeting'?