celebration
Americannoun
-
celebrations
plural
-
the act of celebrating.
We want to do something special in celebration of Amy’s great new job.
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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:
With a bald eagle, fighter jets, Air Force One, the Beast and race cars roaring through the nation’s capital, Trump certainly didn’t send the celebration out quietly.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
Elsewhere at the event in Beijing, a robot performed Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic 'Siuuu' celebration on the football pitch and droids took part in synchronised marching at its opening ceremony.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Archie Gray: The youngest captain in Spurs history but not a day for celebration.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
This series is designed “to inspire and motivate Americans” to travel during the country’s semiquincentennial celebration, never mind the astronomical gas prices.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
His silence was nerve-racking, for no one knew whether to prepare for an explosion or a celebration.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Allen, 49, recalled how generous Parton was with her time whenever she gathered with him and other relatives for family reunions, celebrations, and funerals.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
The NFL’s campaign to promote its new season promises lots of the same elaborate end zone celebrations that the league once banned.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
When Promise Okoro walked out of his final degree exams earlier this month, he fully expected the usual end-of-term celebrations.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The women are the first female team to attempt the task, part of Irvine's annual Marymass celebrations, external, in nearly 30 years.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Two whole days were given over to celebrations.
From "Animal Farm: A Fairy Story" by George Orwell
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.
