ceremonial

American  

[ser-uh-moh-nee-uhl] / ˌsɛr əˈmoʊ ni əl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by ceremony; formal; ritual.

   a ceremonial occasion.

   Synonyms:

   ceremonious, conventional, solemn

   Antonyms:

   informal

2. used in or in connection with ceremonies.

   ceremonial robes.

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noun

ceremonials plural

1. a system of ceremonies, rites, or formalities prescribed for or observed on any particular occasion; a rite.

   Synonyms:

   liturgy, ritual

2. Roman Catholic Church.

   1. the order for rites and ceremonies.

   2. a book containing it.

3. formal behavior found at, or appropriate to, a certain occasion.

   the ceremonial of a state banquet.

ceremonial British  

/ ˌsɛrɪˈməʊnɪəl /

adjective

1. involving or relating to ceremony or ritual

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noun

1. the observance of formality, esp in etiquette

2. a plan for formal observances on a particular occasion; ritual

3. Christianity

   1. the prescribed order of rites and ceremonies

   2. a book containing this

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anticeremonialism
  noun
• anticeremonialist
  noun
• ceremonialism
  noun
• ceremonialist
  noun
• anticeremonial
  adjective
• nonceremonial
  adjective
• preceremonial
  adjective
• unceremonial
  adjective
• anticeremonially
  adverb
• ceremonially
  adverb
• nonceremonially
  adverb
• unceremonially
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ceremonials
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ceremonial

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin cēremōniālis, Late Latin caerimōniālis. See ceremony, -al ¹

Explanation

When an occasion is extremely formal and full of rituals, you can call it ceremonial. Your cousin's fancy wedding and your friend's bar mitzvah are both ceremonial events. The ritual of a new queen being crowned is ceremonial, with its pomp and formality. The way your family celebrates Thanksgiving might feel ceremonial to you as well, if everyone takes it very seriously and sticks to firm rules about what food to eat and who carves the turkey. Ceremonial originally described a purely religious ritual, from the Latin caerimonia, "holiness or sacredness."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ceremonial ceremonials

But again no such ceremonial moment with all present took place.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

Before the first fireworks explode, America’s 250th birthday has already revealed something less ceremonial: a national celebration being reshaped in real time by weather, infrastructure limits and competing visions of what, exactly, is being celebrated.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

He received a royal salute before inspecting a guard of honour of soldiers from the Royal Company of Archers, who serve as the King's ceremonial bodyguard in Scotland.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

As princess, Bajrakitiyabha held an important ceremonial role in Thai society -- where the royal family sits at the apex.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

Senate spouses, I’d watched—half in shock, half in awe—as Laura Bush posed, serene and smiling, for ceremonial photos with about a hundred different people, never once losing her composure or needing a break.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

The huge hole in the record of L.A.’s musical storytelling is because so many old tunes were sung in the streets, at home, at ceremonials.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2021

The ceremonials were the same, and we filed into the Council Chamber a little before four in the afternoon.

From Nature ● Dec. 18, 2018

We climbed and explored Acoma and Bandelier, Mesa Verde, went to Indian dances and ceremonials and powwows.

From The New Yorker ● Jul. 28, 2016

The pattern of storms and ceremonials, of private emotion and public ritual, was established at the outset.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 23, 2010

The King, who was addicted to festivals and ceremonials of all sorts, celebrated the occasion royally, by presenting a new gown to every man on the estate.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Related Words

• liturgical
• solemn
• stately