celebration
Americannoun
-
celebrations
plural
-
the act of celebrating.
We want to do something special in celebration of Amy’s great new job.
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of celebration
First recorded in 1480–90; from Latin celebrātiōn- (stem of celebrātiō ) “large gathering, widespread use, celebration (of a festival)”; see celebrate, -ion
Explanation
A celebration is a joyful diversion. Your math class might have a celebration when you learn that the midterm has been postponed for a week. A celebration can be a festive party commemorating some joyous occasion, like your grandparents' fiftieth anniversary celebration or your brother's birthday celebration. It can also be a less formal marking of a happy event, like the arrival of your new puppy. Another meaning of celebration is a religious ceremony, such as communion or a bar mitzvah.
Vocabulary lists containing celebration
Party Parlance for Mardi Gras
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Passover Vocabulary
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List 4
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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.
See Examples For:
Thousands of Bonnie Tyler fans are set to gather in Swansea on Monday ahead of a church service held as part of the legendary singer's celebration of life.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
A private celebration of his life will be held in Florida.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
She will be laid to rest Monday following her funeral in the nearby city of Swansea, which is set to be a celebration of her life attended by family and friends.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Cuba is hosting a weeklong celebration for Fidel Castro’s 100th birthday while the island struggles with a severe economic crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
When a delegation from Quincy came out to visit him to request words for a toast at the local celebration, he was curt.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
The couple, both 36, tied the knot over two days of celebrations at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 2 and 3.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
The celebrations were as ecstatic on the touchline as they were in the stands; disbelief as it dawned on players, staff and fans that Wales were heading to their first semi-final.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
With plans for watch parties and other accessible celebrations for fans, Torosis envisions Santa Monica being “the place to be” during the Games.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Just listening through to all the celebrations after Windsor and Hollingsworth and, finally, Obergefell was like light therapy in the depths of winter.
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026
After seeing women omitted from history in the centennial celebrations, the suffragists decided to write their own account of the women’s suffrage movement.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
