adj
celebratory
seh-lih-BRAY-tuh-ree
Celebratory (adj) means marking or having the feel of a celebration. Example: “They opened a bottle of champagne in a celebratory toast.”
adj
1
Marking or having the feel of a celebration.
"They opened a bottle of champagne in a celebratory toast."
"The office had a celebratory atmosphere after the deal closed."
"Hiro ducks out of Tranny's celebratory dinner rather early, drags Reason off the zodiac and onto the front porch of the houseboat, opens it up and jacks his personal computer into its bios."
— Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash (1992)
"But, with United fans in celebratory mood as it appeared their team might snatch glory, they faced an anxious wait as City equalised in stoppage time."
— Alistair Magowan, Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd (2012)
How to use celebratory
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribing something done in a spirit of celebration — festive, in honour of an achievement or event.
Common pairings
a celebratory drink
celebratory mood
celebratory dinner
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more celebratory
- Superlative
- most celebratory
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They opened a bottle of champagne in a _____ toast.
Etymology
From celebrate plus the adjective ending -ory, following the same pattern as "obligatory" or "explanatory."
Rhymes for celebratory
See all rhymes for celebratory →Frequently asked questions
What does “celebratory” mean?
The word “celebratory” means marking or having the feel of a celebration. In plain terms, describing something done in a spirit of celebration — festive, in honour of an achievement or event.
How do you pronounce “celebratory”?
“Celebratory” is pronounced seh-lih-BRAY-tuh-ree (/ˈsɛləbɹəˌtɔːɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “celebratory” in a sentence?
Here is “celebratory” used in a sentence: “They opened a bottle of champagne in a celebratory toast.”
What part of speech is “celebratory”?
“Celebratory” is an adjective.
