Definition of ceremony
ceremonies
1 : a formal act or series of acts prescribed by ritual, protocol, or convention the marriage ceremony
2a : a conventional act of politeness or etiquette the ceremony of introductionb : an action performed only formally with no deep significance the custom had probably been long a mere ceremony — C. Thirlwallc : a routine action performed with elaborate pomp the weekly ceremony of giving out the wages to the help
3a : prescribed procedures : usages the ceremony attending an inaugurationb : observance of an established code of civility or politeness opened the door without ceremony and strode in
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Examples of ceremony in a Sentence
There will be a ceremony honoring the town's veterans next week.
With great ceremony, the children presented each of the visitors with a gift.
He told them abruptly and without ceremony that they would have to leave.
Recent Examples of ceremony from the Web
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Much of the film is spent observing the pomp and ceremony, some of it absurd, that trails his travels.
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His father insisted that his change-of-command ceremony be held aboard the USS Oriskany, the carrier from which his son had flown.
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Carol, my business partner at Opening Ceremony and Kenzo, has also been a huge part of my life for almost twenty-five years.
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Bees buzzed and the smell of fresh mulch and wood chips filled the air as a quiet, somber ceremony took place a few yards away.
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The 32,000-member union’s clout will be on full display on Thursday, when both Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio are scheduled to appear at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the building.
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This year’s plaques will be unveiled along the sidewalk winding through Webb Park at 5 p.m. on Sept. 13 during a ceremony for plaque honorees, their family members and friends.
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The 2017 inductees will be honored at a dinner and ceremony to be held at The Harbert Center on Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 6 p.m.
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An additional 34 were identified by the Sedgwick County Election Office when staff attended naturalization ceremonies to register new citizens and discovered that some were already registered.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ceremony.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of ceremony
Middle English ceremonie, from Medieval French ceremonie, from Latin caerimonia
Other Government and Politics Terms
CEREMONY Defined for English Language Learners
ceremony
playDefinition of ceremony for English Language Learners
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: a formal act or event that is a part of a social or religious occasion
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: very polite or formal behavior
CEREMONY Defined for Kids
Learn More about ceremony
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See words that rhyme with ceremony Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for ceremony Spanish Central: Translation of ceremony Nglish: Translation of ceremony for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of ceremony for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ceremony
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