celebrate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to assign great social importance to

   The film director was celebrated all over Hollywood.

2. 2
   verb

   to behave as expected during holidays or rites

   We celebrated Eucharist together.

3. 3
   verb

   To extol or honour in a solemn manner.

   to celebrate the name of the Most High

4. 4
   verb

   To honour by rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly.

   to celebrate a birthday

5. 5
   verb

   To engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event.

   I was promoted today at work—let’s celebrate!

6. 6
   verb

   To perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to perform with appropriate rites.

   to celebrate a marriage

7. 7
   verb

   to have a celebration

Etymology

From Middle English celebraten, from celebrat(e) (“celebrated”, also used as the past participle of celebraten) + -en, borrowed from Latin celebrātus, perfect passive participle of celebrō (“frequent, go to in great numbers, celebrate, honor, praise”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from celeber (“frequented, populous”). Displaced native Old English fæġnian.