pantechnicon name of a bazaar of miscellaneous artistic work, intended to be held in a building in Motcomb Street, Belgrave Square, London, which became a large warehouse for furniture; (hence, short for p. van) a furniture-removing van. XIX. f. Gr. PAN- + tekhnikón, n. of tekhnikós TECHNICAL.

Pantechnicon a building in Belgrave Square, London, constructed in the early 19th century to house an exhibition and sale of various arts and crafts, and later used as a furniture warehouse; it was destroyed by fire, with its contents, in 1874. From this the term was extended to mean any building housing a collection of shops or stalls offering a range of merchandise, and finally a large van for transporting furniture.