banquet

American  

[bang-kwit] / ˈbæŋ kwɪt /

noun

1. a lavish meal; feast.

2. a ceremonious public dinner, especially one honoring a person, benefiting a charity, etc.

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verb (used with object)

banqueted, banqueting

1. to entertain or regale with a banquet.

   They banqueted the visiting prime minister in grand style.

verb (used without object)

banqueted, banqueting

1. to have or attend a banquet; feast.

   They banqueted on pheasant, wild boar, and three kinds of fish.

banquet British  

/ ˈbæŋkwɪt /

noun

1. a lavish and sumptuous meal; feast

2. a ceremonial meal for many people, often followed by speeches

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verb

1. (intr) to hold or take part in a banquet

2. (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” ( see bank ²) + -etto -et ); replacing late Middle English bankat, banket(te), from Middle French

Explanation

It’s customary to celebrate Thanksgiving with a banquet, or elaborate feast — along with the requisite bickering between family members. If you sat down to a banquet in the earliest sense of this word, you’d surely be disappointed. Banquet comes from a French word meaning "bench," and originally a banquet was a small snack — something you could eat while sitting on a bench. If a particular family member isn’t cooperating at your next holiday meal, consider having him dine in this traditional fashion, on a bench somewhere far from the dining room table.

Example Sentences

BEIJING—At a state banquet hosted by Xi Jinping last week, President Trump was treated to a Chinese military band playing one of his favorite songs, “Y.M.C.A.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

"The first day... unfolded as a carefully choreographed state banquet, served on fine porcelain, while traders quietly inspected the cracks beneath the table. The optics were unquestionably constructive," said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

When Xi last hosted a banquet for Trump, all six other Standing Committee members attended the event, plus five recently retired members.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

On Thursday night, local time, Trump will return to the Great Hall of the People for a banquet dinner.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

Then a banquet table would be spread for her.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

• feast
• festivity
• meal
• reception