celebration

[sel-uh-brey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of celebrating.

   We want to do something special in celebration of Amy’s great new job.

2. a party or other festive event for celebrating something.

   Don’t you think the birthday celebrations for preschoolers in this neighborhood are a bit over the top?

Other Word Forms

• intercelebration noun
• noncelebration noun
• precelebration noun
• recelebration noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of celebration¹

First recorded in 1480–90; from Latin celebrātiōn- (stem of celebrātiō ) “large gathering, widespread use, celebration (of a festival)”; celebrate, -ion

Example Sentences

But the real star of “Sentimental Value” is the family’s gorgeous dragestil architectural-style home, which has stayed in the family for decades, absorbing both the celebrations and traumas of its generations of inhabitants.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Complex, gently fizzy hard ciders—diverse in flavor and gluten-free, with about half the alcohol of wine—are my celebration essentials no matter the company or the culinary spread.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Earlier this year, a selection of 75 works was shown in Amsterdam, part of the celebrations of the 750th anniversary of the city’s founding.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It wasn’t until 1941, however, that the holiday’s date was codified in law, when Franklin Roosevelt signed a joint resolution of Congress mandating its celebration on the fourth Thursday of November.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Tanzania has cancelled next month's independence day celebrations, with the funds to be instead spent on rebuilding infrastructure damaged in recent election unrest, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba has said.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• anniversary 
• bash 
• birthday 
• ceremony 
• festival 
• festivity 
• gala 
• jubilee 
• observance 
• party 
• performance 
• spree 
• triumph