celebration
Americannoun
-
celebrations
plural
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the act of celebrating.
We want to do something special in celebration of Amy’s great new job.
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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:
Buermann says she tries to curate each event so that it’s as much an experience or a celebration as it is a screening.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
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
He attributes the success of the festival to its "totally inclusive" nature and its sole focus on "the celebration of music and culture and dance and song".
From BBC ● 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
It’s a Monday, but schools and stores are closed for the celebration, so everyone in the neighborhood is heading to the parade—Greek, Armenian, and Muslim families, along with a few Spanish Jewish families like ours.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
Even the winning six delivered a tantalising wait, hanging in the air, teasing the chance of a catch, but it just crept over the rope to spark Super Giants' celebrations.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The 2026 festival exceeded expectations, bringing 1.6m visits to the city over eight days of celebrations.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
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 scorching temperatures coincided with major events across the country, including the World Cup and celebrations of America’s 250th birthday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
But fairies were never seen in common daylight, and they preferred the light of the full moon for their hunts and celebrations.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
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.
