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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Architect of the Capitol (AOC) employees work on the podium area at the west front of the U.S. Capitol in preparation for the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016.
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Ray Richards and Roy Carter along with Peter Nichols (who was stationed at Kaneohe during the December 7, 1941 attack) attended the USS Oklahoma commemoration ceremony on Wednesday afternoon on Ford Island.
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Kahu Kordell Kekoa, who conducted the traditional Hawaiian blessing, centered the ceremony around the word ʻehiku, which means the number seven in Hawaiian.
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For Leon, Bette, and Richard’s two sisters, the ceremony marked the end of a nightmarish year.
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What a difference a week makes, and not just because we’ve now said goodbye to Amanda, who didn’t make it past the hometown rose ceremony.
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The penetration of social media into the ceremony came through in other ways as well—particularly in the element of activism and advocacy that marked many of the events on the broadcast.
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Things the American man can't wear to a funeral: A bow tie, whimsical patterns, a light-colored coat, a silk pocket square, denim (unless the ceremony involves pouring out cans of Schlitz).
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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