observance C2+ Topic:Law & Government US /əbˈzɜrvəns/ UK /əbˈzɜːvəns/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 noun the keeping of a law, custom, or ritual The strict observance of the Sabbath defined their week. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · the keeping of a law,... keepingcompliancecelebrationadherenceritualceremonyrite ↔ Opposites neglectviolationbreachnonobservance Word family Related forms observeobservantobservation Etymology AI details From Old French observance, from Latin observantia ('attention, regard'), from observare ('to watch, heed'). observantia Latin servare Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Law & Government External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # observance **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /əbˈzɜrvəns/ **IPA (UK):** /əbˈzɜːvəns/ ## Meanings 1. the keeping of a law, custom, or ritual ## Examples - The strict observance of the Sabbath defined their week. ## Synonyms - keeping - compliance - celebration - adherence - ritual - ceremony - rite ## Antonyms - neglect - violation - breach - nonobservance ## Related Forms - observe - observant - observation ## Roots and Affixes - Root: observantia - Root: servare ## Etymology From Old French observance, from Latin observantia ('attention, regard'), from observare ('to watch, heed'). ## AI Etymology Observance is from Old French observance, from Latin observantia ('attention, regard'), from observare ('to watch, heed'). In present-day use, it means the keeping of a law, custom, or ritual. Related vocabulary includes observe, observant, and observation. ## Topics - Law & Government markdown