Ceremony

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: cer=e=mo=ny

CIDE DICTIONARY

Ceremony, n. [F. cérémonie, L. caerimonia; perh. akin to E. create and from a root signifying to do or make.].

•  Ar act or series of acts, often of a symbolical character, prescribed by law, custom, or authority, in the conduct of important matters, as in the performance of religious duties, the transaction of affairs of state, and the celebration of notable events; as, the ceremony of crowning a sovereign; the ceremonies observed in consecrating a church; marriage and baptismal ceremonies.  [1913 Webster]

  "According to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof shall ye keep it [the Passover]."  [1913 Webster]

  "Bring her up the high altar, that she may
  The sacred ceremonies there partake."  [1913 Webster]

  "[The heralds] with awful ceremony
  And trumpet's sound, throughout the host proclaim
  A solemn council."  [1913 Webster]
•  Behavior regulated by strict etiquette; a formal method of performing acts of civility; forms of civility prescribed by custom or authority.  [1913 Webster]

  "Ceremony was but devised at first
  To set a gloss on . . . hollow welcomes . . .
  But where there is true friendship there needs none."  [1913 Webster]

  "Al ceremonies are in themselves very silly things; but yet a man of the world should know them."  [1913 Webster]
•  A ceremonial symbols; an emblem, as a crown, scepter, garland, etc.  [1913 Webster]

  "Disrobe the images,
  If you find them decked with ceremonies.
  . . . Let no images
  Be hung with Cæsar's trophies."  [1913 Webster]
•  A sign or prodigy; a portent.  [1913 Webster]

  "Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies,
  Yet, now they fright me."  [1913 Webster]

Master of ceremonies, an officer who determines the forms to be observed, or superintends their observance, on a public occasion. -- Not to stand on ceremony, not to be ceremonious; to be familiar, outspoken, or bold.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Ceremony, n. (pl. -ies)
1 a formal religious or public occasion, esp. celebrating a particular event or anniversary.
2 formalities, esp. of an empty or ritualistic kind (ceremony of exchanging compliments).
3 excessively polite behaviour (bowed low with great ceremony).

Idiom

Master of Ceremonies
1 ( also MC) a person introducing speakers at a banquet, or entertainers in a variety show.
2 a person in charge of ceremonies at a state or public occasion. stand on ceremony insist on the observance of formalities. without ceremony informally.

Etymology

ME f. OF ceremonie or L caerimonia religious worship

THESAURUS

Ceremony

amenities, anniversaries, appearances, baccalaureate service, buckram, celebrating, celebration, ceremonial, ceremonies, ceremoniousness, civilities, commemoration, commencement, convention, conventions, convocation, decorum, dignities, dignity, dressing ship, duty, elegancies, empty formality, etiquette, exercise, exercises, extrinsicality, fanfare, fanfaronade, festivity, flourish of trumpets, form, form of worship, formal, formalities, formality, formalization, formula, formulary, function, gentilities, graces, graduation, graduation exercises, gravity, holiday, holy rite, impersonality, inaugural, inauguration, initiation, institution, jubilee, liturgy, marking the occasion, memorialization, memory, mode of worship, motions, mummery, mystery, niceties, obsequies, observance, office, order of worship, ordinance, ovation, performance, pomp, pomposity, practice, prescribed form, primness, proprieties, protocol, rejoicing, religious ceremony, religious rites, remembrance, revel, rigidness, rite, rite de passage, rite of passage, rites, ritual, ritual observance, rituality, rituals, sacrament, sacramental, salute, salvo, service, solemn observance, solemnity, solemnization, starchiness, stiffness, stiltedness, stylization, testimonial, testimonial banquet, testimonial dinner, toast, tribute, triumph, weight

ROGET THESAURUS

Ceremony

Rite

N rite, ceremony, ritual, liturgy, ceremonial, ordinance, observance, function, duty, form, formulary, solemnity, sacrament, incantation, service, psalmody, ministration, preaching, preachment, predication, sermon, homily, lecture, discourse, pastoral, baptism, christening, chrism, circumcision, baptismal regeneration, font, confirmation, imposition of hands, laying on of hands, ordination, excommunication, Bar Mitzvah, Bas Mitzvah, Bris, Eucharist, Lord's supper, communion, the sacrament, the holy sacrament, celebration, high celebration, missa cantata, asperges, offertory, introit, consecration, consubstantiation, transubstantiation, real presence, elements, mass, high mass, low mass, dry mass, matrimony, burial, visitation of the sick, seven sacraments, impanation, subpanation, extreme unction, viaticum, invocation of saints, canonization, transfiguration, auricular confession, maceration, flagellation, sackcloth and ashes, penance, telling of beads, processional, thurification, incense, holy water, aspersion, relics, rosary, beads, reliquary, host, cross, rood, crucifix, pax, pyx, agnus Dei, censer, thurible, patera, eileton, Holy Grail, prayer machine, prayer wheel, Sangraal, urceus, ritualism, ceremonialism, sabbatism, sabbatarianism, ritualist, sabbatarian, holyday, feast, fast, Sabbath, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Passion week, Holy week, Easter, Easter Sunday, Whitsuntide, agape, Ascension Day, Candlemas, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Lammas, Martinmas, Michaelmas, All SAint's DAy, All Souls' Day, Ramadan, Ramazan, Bairam Passover, Shabuoth, Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, Rosh Hashana, New Year, Hanukkah, Chanukkah, Feast of Lights, Purim, Feast of lots, ritual, ritualistic, ceremonial, baptismal, eucharistical, paschal, what art thou, thou idol ceremony?.

Ostentation

N ostentation, display, show, flourish, parade, etalage, pomp, array, state, solemnity, dash, splash, splurge, glitter, strut, pomposity, pretense, pretensions, showing off, fuss, magnificence, splendor, coup d'oeil, grand doings, coup de theatre, stage effect, stage trick, claptrap, mise en scene, tour de force, chic, demonstration, flying colors, tomfoolery, flourish of trumpets, pageant, pageantry, spectacle, exhibition, exposition, procession, turn out, set out, grand function, f=ete, gala, field day, review, march past, promenade, insubstantial pageant, dress, court dress, full dress, evening dress, ball dress, fancy dress, tailoring, millinery, man millinery, frippery, foppery, equipage, ceremony, ceremonial, ritual, form, formality, etiquette, puncto, punctilio, punctiliousness, starched stateliness, stateliness, mummery, solemn mockery, mouth honor, attitudinarian, fop, ostentatious, showy, dashing, pretentious, janty, jaunty, grand, pompous, palatial, high-sounding, turgid gairish, garish, gaudy, gaudy as a peacock, gaudy as a butterfly, gaudy as a tulip, flaunting, flashing, flaming, glittering, gay, splendid, magnificent, sumptuous, theatrical, dramatic, spectacular, ceremonial, ritual, solemn, stately, majestic, formal, stiff, ceremonious, punctilious, starched, dressed to kill, dressed to the nines, decjed out, all decked out, en granite tenue, in best bib and tucker, in Sunday best, endimanch_e, chic, with flourish of trumpet, with beat of drum, with flying colors, ad captandum vulgus, honores mutant mores.