ceremonious

[ser-uh-moh-nee-uhs]

adjective

1. carefully observant of ceremony; formally or elaborately polite.

   He greeted his rival with a ceremonious display of friendship.

   Synonyms: punctilious, conventional, ceremonial

2. pertaining to, marked by, or consisting of ceremony; formal.

   a ceremonious reception.

ceremonious

/ ˌsɛrɪˈməʊnɪəs /

adjective

1. especially or excessively polite or formal

2. observing ceremony; involving formalities

Other Word Forms

• ceremoniously adverb
• ceremoniousness noun
• anticeremonious adjective
• anticeremoniously adverb
• anticeremoniousness noun
• nonceremonious adjective
• nonceremoniously adverb
• nonceremoniousness noun
• superceremonious adjective
• superceremoniously adverb
• superceremoniousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ceremonious¹

1545–55; ceremony + -ous; compare Middle French cerimonieux < Late Latin caerimōniōsus

Example Sentences

A plane carrying 59 of them landed at an airport just outside Washington DC earlier this month, in a ceremonious greeting that included the deputy secretary of state.

Read more on BBC

Early on in its history, Long Beach Opera, originally Long Beach Grand Opera, found the “grand” too ceremonious and increasingly scaled back to experimental, in-your-face intimacy.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She lamented that the home did not have some kind of ceremonious sendoff — final tours for architecture students, a celebratory cocktail hour, donation of materials for architectural studies — before it was torn down.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Plate holders stood by the fireplace, filled with dishes and plates; knives, forks and spoons were arranged for immediate use; in short, everything was ready for the entertainment of a ceremonious party.”

Read more on Literature

Isabella then celebrated the recovery milestone with a hearty and ceremonious ringing of the bell, also posing with her radiotherapy mask.

Read more on Los Angeles Times