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celebrant

[sel-uh-bruh nt]
noun
  1. a participant in any celebration.
  2. the officiating priest in the celebration of the Eucharist.
  3. a participant in a public religious rite.
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Origin of celebrant

1830–40; < Latin celebrant- (stem of celebrāns present participle of celebrāre to solemnize, celebrate), equivalent to celebr- (see celebrate) + -ant- -ant
Related formspre·cel·e·brant, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for celebrant

Historical Examples of celebrant

  • The celebrant kissed the tablet, and held it aloft before all the people.

    English Villages

    P. H. Ditchfield

  • The celebrant of the rite sings, invoking the spirit of the deceased.

  • Henceforth he was the bondman of grace, the celebrant of grace.

  • Several minutes elapsed, however, and the celebrant did not appear.

  • There was none of it observable in the stately motions of the celebrant.

    Robert Annys: Poor Priest

    Annie Nathan Meyer

British Dictionary definitions for celebrant

celebrant

noun
  1. a person participating in a religious ceremony
  2. Christianity an officiating priest, esp at the Eucharist
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for celebrant

n.

1731, from French célébrant "officiating clergyman" or directly from Latin celebrantem (nominative celebrans), present participle of celebrare (see celebrate).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper