mummery

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a ridiculous, showy, or insincere ceremony or performance

   Once the mourners had packed away the funeral mummery, the house fell quiet.

2. 2
   noun

   the traditional performance, disguise, or festivities of mummers; archaic

   Masked players filled the village square with winter mummery.

Borrowed from Middle French momerie or mommerie, from Old French mommer, 'to go masked or perform as a mummer.' The literal festive performance gave rise to the disparaging sense of an elaborate but hollow or hypocritical ceremony.

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