festivity

noun

fes·​tiv·​i·​ty fe-ˈsti-və-tē 

fə-

plural festivities

1

: festival sense 1

2

: the quality or state of being festive : gaiety

3

: festive activity

Synonyms of festivity

• cheerfulness
• glee
• merriness
• cheer

Examples of festivity in a Sentence

The decorations give the hall an air of festivity.

The festivities will include a parade, a concert, and games for children.

We enjoyed the New Year's Eve festivities.

Recent Examples on the Web

All of 2026 will be celebrated as the Route 66 centennial with special events and festivities throughout the year. —Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 6 Dec. 2025

The photo was seemingly from the family's Thanksgiving festivities, as a group photo in front of a festive dinner table came before it. —Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025

The festivities draw heavily on the area’s natural beauty and perfectly check the box for merry and bright vibes without crossing into overly commercial territory. —Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2025

Even the trains took part in the festivities, with a Pink Soup Train running between Riga, the capital of Latvia, and Vilnius. —Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for festivity

• acclivity
• activity
• captivity
• declivity
• nativity
• passivity
• proclivity
• absorptivity
• affectivity
• collectivity
• conductivity
• connectivity

Kids Definition

festivity

noun

fes·​tiv·​i·​ty fes-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

plural festivities

1

: festival sense 1

2

: the quality or state of being festive

3

: festive activity