ceremony

B1 Topic:Culture & History

US /ˈsɛɹ.əˌmoʊ.ni/ UK /ˈsɛɹ.ɪ.mə.ni/ See IPA manual

Freq #2929

Meanings

1

noun
A formal event held to mark an important occasion.

They held a ceremony to celebrate the school's anniversary.
2

noun
A set of actions performed in a fixed way for a religious or cultural purpose.

The wedding ceremony followed an ancient tradition.
3

noun
Very polite or formal behaviour on a serious occasion.

The guests were welcomed with great ceremony.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a formal event held to mark... observance

Word family

Forms ceremonies

Derived forms ceremonialceremonialismceremoniallyceremonialnessceremonilessceremonious ceremoniouslyceremoniousnesspreceremony

Appears in

Phrases (2)

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Proverbs (1)

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Death observes no ceremony

Etymology

From Middle English cerymonye, from Latin caerimonia or caeremonia, later often cerimonia (“sacredness, reverence, a sacred rite”).

cerymonye Middle English caerimonia Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Culture & History Register & Style

External links

# ceremony

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈsɛɹ.əˌmoʊ.ni/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsɛɹ.ɪ.mə.ni/
**Frequency rank:** 2929

## Meanings
1. A formal event held to mark an important occasion.
2. A set of actions performed in a fixed way for a religious or cultural purpose.
3. Very polite or formal behaviour on a serious occasion.

## Examples
- They held a ceremony to celebrate the school's anniversary.
- The wedding ceremony followed an ancient tradition.
- The guests were welcomed with great ceremony.

## Derived Forms
- ceremonial
- ceremonialism
- ceremonially
- ceremonialness
- ceremoniless
- ceremonious
- ceremoniously
- ceremoniousness
- preceremony

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: cerymonye
- Root: caerimonia

## Etymology
From Middle English cerymonye, from Latin caerimonia or caeremonia, later often cerimonia (“sacredness, reverence, a sacred rite”).

## AI Etymology
ceremony is a noun. It is from Middle English cerymonye, from Latin caerimonia or caeremonia, later often cerimonia (“sacredness, reverence, a sacred rite”). Historical forms in the chain include cerymonye (Middle English) and caerimonia (Latin). Current senses include a formal event held to mark an important occasion, a set of actions performed in a fixed way for a religious or cultural purpose, and very polite or formal behaviour on a serious occasion. Derived forms include ceremonial, ceremonialism, ceremonially, ceremonialness, and ceremoniless.

## Topics
- Culture & History
- Register & Style

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