1. Plural of pavan: a slow, stately dance of the 16th and 17th centuries, typically performed in pairs with elaborate steps and formal dress.
Usage: historical; music and dance
2. Plural of pavan: the music composed for or accompanying such a dance, usually in duple meter.
Usage: historical; music

Examples

• The Renaissance court featured several pavans performed by the nobility.
• Musicians played pavans on lutes and viols during the formal banquet.
• The composer wrote three pavans for the royal celebration.
• Dancers practiced the intricate steps of pavans for weeks before the event.
• Pavans were popular entertainment at European courts in the 1500s and 1600s.