1. a traveling educational and entertainment program featuring lectures, concerts, and dramatic performances, popular in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
Usage: often capitalized when referring to the original movement or specific institutions; historical
2. a permanent institution or retreat center offering educational courses, lectures, and cultural events
Usage: often capitalized when referring to specific named locations

Examples

• The chautauqua brought world-class speakers and musicians to small towns across America.
• Her grandmother attended a chautauqua in the 1920s and was inspired to pursue higher education.
• The Chautauqua Institution in New York has hosted notable intellectuals and performers for over 150 years.
• Many rural communities looked forward to the annual chautauqua as their primary source of cultural enrichment.
• The chautauqua movement democratized access to education and entertainment for ordinary Americans.