celebration
Americannoun
-
celebrations
plural
-
the act of celebrating.
We want to do something special in celebration of Amy’s great new job.
-
a party or other festive event for celebrating something.
Don’t you think the birthday celebrations for preschoolers in this neighborhood are a bit over the top?
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of celebration
First recorded in 1480–90; from Latin celebrātiōn- (stem of celebrātiō ) “large gathering, widespread use, celebration (of a festival)”; see celebrate, -ion
Explanation
A celebration is a joyful diversion. Your math class might have a celebration when you learn that the midterm has been postponed for a week. A celebration can be a festive party commemorating some joyous occasion, like your grandparents' fiftieth anniversary celebration or your brother's birthday celebration. It can also be a less formal marking of a happy event, like the arrival of your new puppy. Another meaning of celebration is a religious ceremony, such as communion or a bar mitzvah.
Vocabulary lists containing celebration
Party Parlance for Mardi Gras
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Passover Vocabulary
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List 4
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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.
See Examples For:
Deurloo, who lives in Guerneville, had made glittery bandannas for her crew of bears to wear at the annual celebration.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Cuba is hosting a weeklong celebration for Fidel Castro’s 100th birthday while the island struggles with a severe economic crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
"That's pretty much all I'm taking away from that night. It was a crazy night. It was full of a lot of celebration."
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
After hitting the front by the 30-metre mark, he never looked back - and continued running far beyond the finish line in celebration.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Cooks from a catering company would use them for the opening ceremonies celebration.
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
After the Ashes of 2005, probably England's greatest series win, celebrations were led by a swaying Andrew Flintoff on an open-top bus through the streets of London.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The couple, both 36, tied the knot over two days of celebrations at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 2 and 3.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
The scorching temperatures coincided with major events across the country, including the World Cup and celebrations of America’s 250th birthday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
While most MLB fans might be seeing Yan’s post-strikeout air show for the first time, the celebrations have actually become a signature move for the player during his long, unconventional journey to the majors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
That night, as celebrations spilled out into the streets, Oleg Kalugin dialed the phone number on the piece of paper in his pocket.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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.
