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

Example Sentences

Many younger Chinese associate red wine with business deals and official banquets, hurting its cool factor.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tinubu and his wife were treated to a state banquet hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, west of London, on Wednesday night.

From Barron's

Special adaptations were made to the state banquet, with a prayer room set aside in Windsor Castle, while the usual lunch hosted by the King did not take place as Tinubu was fasting.

From BBC

There will be exchanges of gifts and displays of items related to Nigeria that are kept in the Royal Collection, before an opulent state banquet in St George's Hall.

From BBC

They’re having their banquets and the winner is being paid and there is cheering and I still have four days to go to finish.

From Literature

Related Words

• feast
• festivity
• meal
• reception