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

Another band carries the flower procession, ceremonial now but no less insistent.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

Elsewhere, dogs became important participants in religious and ceremonial traditions.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

In December 2019, Ran’s team uncovered an ancient Chinese ceremonial vessel in what would later be identified as Sacrificial Pit No. 3.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

Two of the late Rob and Michele Reiner’s adult children, Jake and Romy, threw out ceremonial first pitches before Sunday’s game.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

New Guinea drums, ceremonial masks, funeral posts, and pipes were also adopted on Cape York.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

The British — as even they, maybe especially they, will tell you — do ceremonials better than anyone else in the world.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2023

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

Probably as important as the ceremonials was the chance to talk over the events of seven decades past.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 2, 2014

Helene chatters about how thrilling it will be to put on our ceremonials.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Related Words

• liturgical
• solemn
• stately