ceremony

The word “ceremony” means a formal event held to mark or celebrate something important. In plain terms, a formal event or ritual marking something important, or formal politeness in general.

“Ceremony” is pronounced SEHR-ih-muh-nee (/ˈsɛɹ.əˌmoʊ.ni/ in IPA).

Here is “ceremony” used in a sentence: “They held the wedding ceremony in a small chapel.”

“Ceremony” is a noun.

The word “ceremony” comes from Latin. From Latin caerimonia ("sacredness, reverence, a sacred rite").

“Ceremony” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Ceremony” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a formal event held to mark or celebrate something important.

A ceremony is the formal, often ritualised part of an occasion, with set words and actions performed in a particular order, like a wedding ceremony or graduation. A celebration is the broader, usually joyful marking of the event, which can be relaxed and informal, such as the party or reception that follows.

Common ceremonies include weddings, funerals, graduations, and religious rites such as baptisms. Public and official examples are award ceremonies, inaugurations, coronations, and opening or closing ceremonies at sporting events. Each is a formal occasion staged to mark something meaningful, often following long-established customs and a set order of events.

Ceremonies are often grouped by setting. Religious ceremonies follow the rites of a faith; civil ceremonies are secular, like a registry-office wedding. State or official ceremonies mark national events, and academic ceremonies include graduations. There are also personal milestone ceremonies for births, comings of age, marriages, and deaths.