festival
9 synonyms and 0 antonyms for festival, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An organised series of events celebrating a particular theme, art form, or occasion.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use festival
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old French festival, "festive," from Latin festivus, ultimately from festum, "feast."
Full origin of festival →Frequently asked questions
What does “festival” mean?
The word “festival” means an organised series of events celebrating a particular theme, art form, or occasion. In plain terms, a planned celebration or series of events, whether cultural, religious, or artistic.
How do you pronounce “festival”?
“Festival” is pronounced FEHS-tihvl (/ˈfɛstəv(ə)l/ in IPA).
How do you use “festival” in a sentence?
Here is “festival” used in a sentence: “They spent the weekend at a music festival.”
What part of speech is “festival”?
“Festival” is a noun.
Where does the word “festival” come from?
The word “festival” comes from Latin. From Old French festival, "festive," from Latin festivus, ultimately from festum, "feast.".
Is “festival” a common word?
“Festival” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “festival” have?
“Festival” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an organised series of events celebrating a particular theme, art form, or occasion.
What are the types of festival?
Festivals come in many forms: music festivals, film festivals, food and drink festivals, arts festivals, and religious or cultural celebrations such as Diwali or Christmas. Some last a single day, others run for weeks. What they share is a planned series of events built around one theme or occasion.
What is the difference between a festival and a carnival?
A festival is a broad term for an organised series of events celebrating a theme or occasion. A carnival is one particular kind, usually a lively public celebration with parades, costumes, music, and street processions. So every carnival is a festival, but many festivals — a quiet film festival, for example — are not carnivals.
What is an example of a festival?
Famous examples include the Glastonbury and Coachella music festivals, the Cannes Film Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe arts festival, and cultural celebrations like Diwali, Holi, or Oktoberfest. Each gathers people around a shared theme — music, film, art, faith, or food — through a planned programme of events.