ceilidh

American  

[key-lee] / ˈkeɪ li /

noun

Irish, Scot., and Canadian (chiefly Prince Edward Island).

1. a party, gathering, or the like, at which dancing, singing, and storytelling are the usual forms of entertainment.

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ceilidh British  

/ ˈkeɪlɪ /

noun

1. (esp in Scotland and Ireland) an informal social gathering with folk music, singing, dancing, and storytelling

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Etymology

Origin of ceilidh

From Irish céilidhe, Scots Gaelic cèilidh, Middle Irish célide, derivative of Old Irish céile “companion”

Explanation

A ceilidh is an Irish or Scottish dance party with live music. If you have the chance to go to a ceilidh, you'll love learning group dances, often performed in a ring formation, and you might even see traditional step dancing. The earliest ceilidhs were simple parties without any music or dancing, or even informal social visits. The word comes from the Old Irish céle, "companion," and literally means "visit" in Gaelic. Modern ceilidhs are much more festive than an ordinary visit, and can feature fiddlers, singers, flutes, accordions, and more. Ceilidhs are quite common in Scotland (and Ireland, where they're spelled cèili), and their popularity extends to the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ceilidh

A "Night Afore Concert" on 30 December will feature performances from ceilidh bands Peat and Diesel and RuMac.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2025

This year's event kicked off with the parade, followed by afternoon fun events, with a "celebration ceilidh" due to take place on Saturday evening.

From BBC ● May 31, 2025

There was also a firework display as Edinburgh marked its 30th year of the celebrations, while there was a mass ceilidh staged in Inverness.

From BBC ● Jan. 1, 2024

"We will take everyone through town to the Northern Meeting Park where the ceilidh begins with the crème de la crème of Scotland's traditional music scene."

From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2023

To-day, at many a ceilidh by the warm hearths in winter, one may hear allusions to the Scandinavian pirates, or to their more ancient and obscure kin, the Fomór....

From The Divine Adventure Volume IV by Fiona Macleod