festivity

[fe-stiv-i-tee]

noun

plural

festivities 

1. a festive celebration or occasion.

2. festivities, festive events or activities.

   the festivities of Christmas.

3. festive character or quality; gaiety; merriment.

festivity

/ fɛsˈtɪvɪtɪ /

noun

1. merriment characteristic of a festival, party, etc

2. any festival or other celebration

3. (plural) festive proceedings; celebrations

Word History and Origins

Origin of festivity¹

1350–1400; Middle English festivite (< Old French ) < Latin fēstīvitās. See festive, -ity

Example Sentences

And, of course, the most painless customer to invite was one whose business was so trivial that his opinion of the festivities didn’t actually matter.

Read more on Literature

As rewarding as the Rock Hall honor is, the absence of Cornell –- who took his own life after a concert in Detroit in 2017 – carried a bit of somber note into the festivities.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The induction ceremony will stream live on Disney+ and be available to watch after festivities wrap.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He was gunned down on Saturday as he officiated a candle-lighting ceremony for Day of the Dead, one of the main religious festivities in Mexico’s western Michoacán state.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Sakoda said she thoroughly enjoyed the festivities “as representative of the incredibly diverse culture of Los Angeles and how that speaks to our entire nation.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bash 
• festival 
• hoopla