Ceremony Meaning
/ˈsɛɹ.ɪ.mə.ni/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA ritual, with religious or cultural significance.
nounAn official gathering to celebrate, commemorate, or otherwise mark some event.
Sentence Examples
The ceremony began with his speech.
The commemorative ceremony ended with the closing address.
More than 1 000 people attended the ceremony.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
Hundreds of guests attended the wedding ____ held at the grand cathedral.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The wedding ____ was very beautiful and was held in a garden today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English cerymonye, from Latin caerimonia or caeremonia, later often cerimonia (“sacredness, reverence, a sacred rite”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"To whom the Priest with naked armes full net
Approching nigh, and murdrous knife well whet,
Gan mutter close a certaine secret charme,
With other diuelish ceremonies met:"
— 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, pages 463-464:
"In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep [the passover] in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it."
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 9:3:
"Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
— 1881, Henry James, Jr., chapter 1, in The Portrait of a Lady, New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC, page 1:
"This year, due to the fact that the 24th of the Hebrew month of Tishrei falls on Shabbat, the ceremonies will be held on Sunday, the 25th of Tishrei, as they will be every year when the 24th of Tishrei falls on Shabbat."
— 2024 March 17, “Government Unanimously Approves National Remembrance Day for October 7 Disaster and the Swords of Iron War”, in gov.il, archived from the original on 04 Dec 2025:
"Promontory's "last spike" ceremony was so significant to the USA's history that it is still regularly re-enacted today, using replica locomotives that nose up to each other just as the originals did."
— 2025 November 12, Tony Streeter, “All around the world”, in RAIL, number 1048, page 42:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Hundreds of guests attended the wedding ____ held at the grand cathedral.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The wedding ____ was very beautiful and was held in a garden today.