festivity

noun

fes·​tiv·​i·​ty fe-ˈsti-və-tē How to pronounce festivity (audio)
fə-
plural festivities
1
2
: the quality or state of being festive : gaiety
3
: festive activity

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Here are tips from a professional to apply to any area of your home that could use a quick declutter before the fall season ends and the holiday festivities begin. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025 Today, apple and fall-themed festivities continue throughout the season. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2025 Ninety minutes before Game 3, Scottsdale’s Peachy Mendoza, a longtime WNBA fan, and her 7-year-old son Ryder were enjoying pregame festivities outside Mortgage Matchup Center. Ben Pickman, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 As part of Entertainment Weekly's exclusive preview of the Con festivities, Brad Winderbaum, the head of both Marvel TV and animation, sat down to tease what's ahead. Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for festivity

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of festivity was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Festivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/festivity. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

festivity

noun
fes·​tiv·​i·​ty fes-ˈtiv-ət-ē How to pronounce festivity (audio)
plural festivities
1
2
: the quality or state of being festive
3
: festive activity

More from Merriam-Webster on festivity

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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