commemoration
Americannoun
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the act of commemorating.
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a service, celebration, etc., in memory of some person or event.
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a memorial.
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(in many Christian churches) a special service or prayer for commemorating the lesser feast on days on which two feasts of unequal rank are celebrated.
noun
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the act or an instance of commemorating
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a ceremony or service in memory of a person or event
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of commemoration
1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French ) < Latin commemorātiōn- (stem of commemorātiō ), equivalent to commemorāt ( us ) ( see commemorate) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A commemoration is a ceremony that honors someone's memory. A commemoration can also honor an event, like a war. A commemoration is a celebration of someone or something, usually in the form of a ceremony. Commemorations are often held on the anniversary of someone's birth or death. For example, there have been many commemorations for Martin Luther King to honor his contributions to the civil rights movement. On the anniversary of 9/11, commemorations are held to honor the dead. This word is all about remembering and respecting.
Vocabulary lists containing commemoration
May Vocabulary Words
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Total Recall: Mem
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An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Minister of Commemoration waited in his temple, only lightly guarded by amnesiacs.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025
That will include a National Service of Commemoration at St Paul's Cathedral, where the King will be represented by the Duke of Edinburgh.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2025
The final draft of the resolution would designate July 11 as the “International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenca,” to be observed annually starting in two months.
From Seattle Times • May 16, 2024
The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration will host “Welcome Home! A Nation Honors our Vietnam Veterans and their Families,” an event on the National Mall in the nation’s capital which continues through Saturday.
From Washington Times • May 10, 2023
The Commemoration Ode, written in honor of the Harvard graduates who fell in the War for the Union, was read by Lowell July 21, 1865, at the Commemoration Service held in their memory.
From Children's Stories in American Literature, 1660-1860 by Wright, Henrietta Christian
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
