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

"She taught me ceilidh dances for our wedding. She did give me some basic stuff, shoulders down!"

From BBC • Sep. 15, 2025

A "woman's side" and "man's side" is no longer required for ceilidh favourites like Strip the Willow.

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2023

The three-day event kicks off with a traditional ceilidh at Kelvin Hall, with the dance programme designed by the Hawaii branch.

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2023

She intends to "bring some good banter, camaraderie and vibes" to the team room as well as suggesting some traditional Scottish ceilidh music for the Spotify list.

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2023

Even our gossiping, our ceilidh in each other's houses, was stopped; except in the castle itself no more the song and story, the pipe and trump.

From John Splendid The Tale of a Poor Gentleman, and the Little Wars of Lorn by Munro, Neil