celebration
Americannoun
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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.
With 200 German start-ups in Paris as this year's guest nation, organisers want to make the 10th year of Vivatech a celebration of European cross-border cooperation.
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
The FBI learned about the alleged plot on June 10, four days before the mixed-martial-arts event, which was held on President Trump’s 80th birthday and was part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
But hearing the crowd chant “USA, USA” as the bloody blows fell … well, let’s just say it was not everyone’s notion of a presidential birthday celebration.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2026
Athletes, celebrities and political leaders joined the celebration.
From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026
Paul Jennings grabbed an instrument and added to the celebration.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
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.
