commemoration
Americannoun
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commemorations
plural
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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.
See Examples For:
Year: 2015 Compiled by: Dana Stevens Of note: Written in commemoration of the show’s finale, although the Phineas and Ferb movies that have been released since then may necessitate a reassessment.
From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2026
The motion in the town council said that many citizens felt that this form of commemoration of Nazi victims was inappropriate.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
But with a quarter-century of hindsight, asking the mayor to remove himself from a solemn commemoration of the greatest tragedy to ever occur in his city is unfathomable.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
It happened on Dec. 11, 2001, while the U.S. bombed the Tora Bora caves in Afghanistan and President Bush led a worldwide commemoration marking the three-month anniversary of 9/11.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Under Soviet rule, there was no formal annual commemoration for women veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
During Friday’s 9/11 commemorations, it was startling to realize that one-third of the American population today wasn’t born when it happened.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend parades across Northern Ireland as the annual Twelfth of July commemorations take place.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
His son, Mojtaba, the new supreme leader, was absent from the commemorations, fearing assassination himself.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026
France's air force acrobatics team staged a flyover of the Statue of Liberty on Tuesday, part of commemorations for the upcoming 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
Now after thirty-four years, the commemorations and interviews and presentations of posthumous honors have almost stopped, so that for months at a time Dedd is able to take up her own life again.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
