banquet
Americannoun
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a lavish meal; feast.
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a ceremonious public dinner, especially one honoring a person, benefiting a charity, etc.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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a lavish and sumptuous meal; feast
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a ceremonial meal for many people, often followed by speeches
verb
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(intr) to hold or take part in a banquet
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(tr) to entertain or honour (a person) with a banquet
Usage
What does banquet mean? A banquet is a feast, as in Theo likes to host banquets so he can cook all his favorite foods for others.A banquet is also a public dinner, often very fancy and benefiting a charity or celebrating a person, as in Mac likes to organize the sports banquet at the end of the year for all the school’s teams.A banquet is basically a feast for a lot of people. It’s a large, sumptuous meal during a ceremonious gathering. Banquets can be arranged to benefit a charity or to celebrate a specific person or group of people.To banquet means to entertain with a banquet or to have a banquet.You’ll often hear the phrase banqueting hall, which is a room, especially in large medieval buildings, that is big enough to hold a banquet.Example: Doreen hosted a banquet to raise money for a children’s charity.
Related Words
See feast.
Other Word Forms
- banqueteer noun
- banqueter noun
Etymology
Origin of banquet
First recorded in 1450–1500; from Middle French, from Italian banchetto ( banc(o) “table” ( bank 2 ) + -etto -et ); replacing late Middle English bankat, banket(te), from Middle French
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will host the first German state visit to the UK in 27 years - with a state banquet and ceremonial events in Windsor on Wednesday.
From BBC
But dishes comprising the Korean royal banquet, such as gujeolpan, often include meat.
From Salon
The self-proclaimed socialist, who has been re-elected three times, forged an image that has become his trademark -- a progressive Muslim just as comfortable at a Pride march as he is at an Eid banquet.
From Barron's
State visits are a mix of political and business meetings, alongside royal pageantry and a diplomatic red-carpet welcome, with a banquet, military parade and carriage rides.
From BBC
The president seemed to enjoy his lavish royal reception in the UK, not least the glittering state banquet held in his honour.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.