celebration
Americannoun
-
celebrations
plural
-
the act of celebrating.
We want to do something special in celebration of Amy’s great new job.
-
a party or other festive event for celebrating something.
Don’t you think the birthday celebrations for preschoolers in this neighborhood are a bit over the top?
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of celebration
First recorded in 1480–90; from Latin celebrātiōn- (stem of celebrātiō ) “large gathering, widespread use, celebration (of a festival)”; see celebrate, -ion
Explanation
A celebration is a joyful diversion. Your math class might have a celebration when you learn that the midterm has been postponed for a week. A celebration can be a festive party commemorating some joyous occasion, like your grandparents' fiftieth anniversary celebration or your brother's birthday celebration. It can also be a less formal marking of a happy event, like the arrival of your new puppy. Another meaning of celebration is a religious ceremony, such as communion or a bar mitzvah.
Vocabulary lists containing celebration
Party Parlance for Mardi Gras
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Passover Vocabulary
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List 4
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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:
The quakes hit as La Guaira was marking the feast of San Juan, an annual celebration featuring the ritual beating of drums.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
The 95-year-old head of the Cuban armed forces and former president entered the Karl Marx theater for a celebration rally amid the island's worst crisis in living memory.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Cuba is hosting a weeklong celebration for Fidel Castro’s 100th birthday while the island struggles with a severe economic crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
He calls Hogueras the most important celebration of the year.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
Matthias lay on the hay amid the remnants of an epic celebration feast.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
The couple, both 36, tied the knot over two days of celebrations at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 2 and 3.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
The scorching temperatures coincided with major events across the country, including the World Cup and celebrations of America’s 250th birthday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
While most MLB fans might be seeing Yan’s post-strikeout air show for the first time, the celebrations have actually become a signature move for the player during his long, unconventional journey to the majors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Just listening through to all the celebrations after Windsor and Hollingsworth and, finally, Obergefell was like light therapy in the depths of winter.
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026
In a loud voice, he said, ’This is where we used to gather for our bonfire celebrations.
From "A Long Walk to Water" by Linda Sue Park
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.
