adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of festive
First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin festīvus “merry, lively, joyous,” equivalent to festus “festal” + -īvus -ive
Explanation
Festive describes an event that’s full of joy, smiles, and excitement. A birthday party without presents, decorations, or friends would be the opposite of festive. People having a great time — that’s a sure sign that the occasion is festive. An awesome party, New Year’s Eve, the last day of school, Fridays: happy times where the air feels electric, that’s festive. It can also describe your mood, like when you feel full of energy and ready to dance. Sharing the same Latin root (festivus) as the words festival and feast, festive events often involve good food and great people. And a piñata always helps.
Vocabulary lists containing festive
Joy To The Word: Christmas Terms
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Emotions on Display
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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.
Alanis Morissette is releasing an album called Good Weather for Immaculate Conception, while Sufjan Stevens is issuing a compilation of his festive output, titled Worst Christmas Ever.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Denmark’s Pandora narrowed its guidance for the current year toward the upper end of the range, as it heads into the crucial festive shopping season.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Deputies and politicos chatted over festive music while the local news played silently on a big screen at El Pescador Bar and Grill in Carson, which served as Luna’s campaign headquarters on Tuesday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
The largest part of the U.S. economy grew at a rapid pace just ahead of the holiday shopping season, but business leaders were not in a festive mood due to stubborn inflation.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
Hints like the stories he sometimes told about the Colonies and their glittering cities, their advanced technology and festive holidays.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
