ceremonious

[ser-uh-moh-nee-uhs]

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adjective

carefully observant of ceremony; formally or elaborately polite: He greeted his rival with a ceremonious display of friendship.

pertaining to, marked by, or consisting of ceremony; formal: a ceremonious reception.

Origin of ceremonious

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

Related formscer·e·mo·ni·ous·ly, adverbcer·e·mo·ni·ous·ness, nounan·ti·cer·e·mo·ni·ous, adjectivean·ti·cer·e·mo·ni·ous·ly, adverban·ti·cer·e·mo·ni·ous·ness, nounnon·cer·e·mo·ni·ous, adjectivenon·cer·e·mo·ni·ous·ly, adverbnon·cer·e·mo·ni·ous·ness, nounsu·per·cer·e·mo·ni·ous, adjectivesu·per·cer·e·mo·ni·ous·ly, adverbsu·per·cer·e·mo·ni·ous·ness, noun

Can be confusedceremonial ceremonious

Synonyms for ceremonious

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1. ceremonial; conventional, punctilious.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for ceremonious

civil, courteous, courtly, decorous, deferential, dignified, exact, grandiose, impressive, majestic, moving, precise, proper, punctilious, seemly, solemn, starchy, stately, stiff, striking

Examples from the Web for ceremonious

Historical Examples of ceremonious

The note was not a long one, nor was it encumbered by any ceremonious phraseology.
Henry Dunbar
M. E. Braddon
Finally, she bowed in a manner sufficiently distant and ceremonious.
Aunt Rachel
David Christie Murray
Hat and gloves are invariably worn with this gown if the affair is ceremonious.
The Etiquette of To-day
Edith B. Ordway
His phrases are ceremonious without the dignity of ceremony.
The Children
Alice Meynell
Dinner at the moat-house was a solemn and ceremonious function.
The Hand in the Dark
Arthur J. Rees

British Dictionary definitions for ceremonious

ceremonious

adjective

especially or excessively polite or formal

observing ceremony; involving formalities

Derived Formsceremoniously, adverbceremoniousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for ceremonious

adj.

1550s, from Middle French cérémonieux or directly from Late Latin caerimoniosus, from Latin caerimonia (see ceremony). Meaning "full of show and ceremony" is from 1610s. Related: Ceremoniously; ceremoniousness.