ceremonial en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˌsɛɹɪˈməʊnɪ.əl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˌsɛɹɪˈmoʊniəl/ (Canada, General-American)
- /ˌseɹɪˈməʉniəl/ (Australia)
- (California, Southern) audio
- /ˌseɹɪˈmɐʉniəl/ (Australia)
Etymology
From Middle English cerymonial, from Latin caerimōniālis. Morphologically ceremony + -al or -ial.
Meanings
-
Of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony.
“You must swear it. By Adamcos,” said Catweazle, drawing his ceremonial knife. “Crumbs! What's that?” asked Carrot, very taken with the knife.
1970, Richard Carpenter, Catweazle, Harmondsworth: Puffin Books, page 28:Philomena Guinea's black Cadillac eased through the tight, five o'clock traffic like a ceremonial car.
1963, Sylvia Plath, chapter 15, in The Bell Jar, New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books, published 1972, page 151:What mockery will it be / To want the bridegroom when the priest attends / To speak the ceremonial rites of marriage!
c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:[T]his change in ceremonial observances and outward show was trifling when compared to that in the objects of worship […]
1827, Henry Hallam, chapter II, in The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC:His merit introduced him to ſplendid tables and elegant acquaintance, but he did not find himſelf alvvays qualified to join in the converſation. He vvas diſtreſſed by civilities, vvhich he knevv not hovv to repay, and entangled in many ceremonial perplexities, from vvhich his books and diagrams could not extricate him.
1751 December 13 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 179. Monday, December 3. 1751.”, in The Rambler, volume VII, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1752, →OCLC, page 53:
- Used only for the purpose of ceremony; symbolic.
-
(obsolete) Synonym of ceremonious (“of a person: fond of ceremony or ritual, or of observing strict etiquette or formality; punctilious”).
[W]ith dumb Pride, and a set formal Face, / He moves, in the dull Ceremonial track, […]
1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Tenth Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, page 193, lines 56-57:Oh monstrous, superstitious puritan, / Of refin’d manners, yet ceremoniall man, […]
c. 1593–1597, J[ohn] Donne, “Satyre I”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC, page 326:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more ceremonial | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| cæremonial | alternative | lexicographic | |
| most ceremonial | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
nonceremonial · ceremonialness · ceremonial county · ceremonialist · semiceremonial · preceremonial · unceremonial · ceremonially · ceremonialise · ceremonialism · ceremonial marriage · ceremonial first pitch · anticeremonial
Synonyms
ritualistic · ceremonious · nominal · ceremonious · formal · ritual
Translations (30)
cmn 禮儀的 /礼仪的 (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · eo ceremonia (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · nl ceremonieel (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · cmn 儀式的 /仪式的 (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · nn seremoniell (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · hu szertartásos (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · cy seremonïol (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · nb høytidelig (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · fi seremoniallinen (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · la caerimonialis (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · de zeremoniell (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · bg церемониален (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · bg обреден (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · nb seremoniell (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · fr cérémonial (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · pt cerimonial (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · it cerimoniale (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · sv ceremoniell (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · ru церемониальный (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · da ceremoniel (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · hu ünnepélyes (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · es ceremonial (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · ca cerimonial (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · sh cȅremonijālan (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · tr törensel (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · el τελετουργικός (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · sh ȍbrēdnī (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · gl cerimonial (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · el εθιμοτυπικός (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony) · cs obřadný (of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony)