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definitions

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.

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RELATED WORDS

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

Nearby words

  1. cerecloth,
  2. ceredigion,
  3. cerement,
  4. ceremonial,
  5. ceremonial tea,
  6. ceremoniously,
  7. ceremony,
  8. cerenkov,
  9. cerenkov effect,
  10. cerenkov radiation

Origin of ceremonious

1545–55; ceremony + -ous; compare Middle French cerimonieux < Late Latin caerimōniōsus
Related forms
Can be confusedceremonial ceremonious
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ceremonious

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

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.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper