ceilidh
Americannoun
noun
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A "Night Afore Concert" on 30 December will feature performances from ceilidh bands Peat and Diesel and RuMac.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2025
A ceilidh which was set to welcome the festival on Thursday night has also been cancelled.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2023
They shared the piano stool throughout the impromptu performance which followed a dinner and ceilidh at the venue.
From BBC ● Jan. 1, 2023
In Aberdeen, locals can head to a Hogmanay ceilidh at the Beach Ballroom with music from the Hipflask Ceilidh Band.
From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2022
Had they been shepherds, or even the clever gillies that sometimes came to the kitchen of Ladyfield on nights of ceilidh or gossip, he would have felt himself their equal.
From Gilian The Dreamer His Fancy, His Love and Adventure by Neil Munro
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