verb
Meaning 1
To extol or honour in a solemn manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- to celebrate the name of the Most High
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fete
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
celebrate
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
-
Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsɛl.ɪ.bɹeɪt/
-
Canada, General-American: /ˈsɛl.ə.bɹeɪt/
-
US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
-
Australian, New-Zealand: /ˈsel.ə.bɹæɪt/
-
India, North: /ˈsɛː.lɪb.ˈreːʈ/
-
India, South: /seˈlɪb.reːʈ/
-
India, South: /ˈse.lə.breːʈ/
-
CMU ARPABET: S EH1 L AH0 B R EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
To honour by rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- to celebrate a birthday
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: observe, keep
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, transitive
Examples
- I was promoted today at work—let’s celebrate!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to perform with appropriate rites.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- to celebrate a marriage
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: solemnize
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
assign great social importance to
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The film director was celebrated all over Hollywood
- The tenor was lionized in Vienna
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: lionize, lionise
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: respect, honor, honour, abide by, observe
verb
Meaning 6
have a celebration
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- They were feting the patriarch of the family
- After the exam, the students were celebrating
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fete
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: meet, get together
Narrower terms: jubilate, revel, racket, make whoopie, make merry, make happy, whoop it up, jollify, wassail, party, receive
verb
Meaning 7
behave as expected during of holidays or rites
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- Keep the commandments
- celebrate Christmas
- Observe Yom Kippur
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: observe, keep
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: commemorate, mark, mourn, solemnize, solemnise
History
Etymology
From Middle English celebraten, from celebrat(e) (“celebrated”, also used as the past participle of celebraten) + -en, borrowed from Latin celebrātus, perfect passive participle of celebrō (“frequent, go to in great numbers, celebrate, honor, praise”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from celeber (“frequented, populous”). Displaced native Old English fæġnian.
Across languages
Translations
160 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Belarusian: праслаўля́ць (praslawljácʹ) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Belarusian: прасла́віць (praslávicʹ) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Bulgarian: просла́вям (proslávjam) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Bulgarian: просла́вя (proslávja) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Chinese Mandarin: 頌揚 /颂扬 (sòngyáng) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Danish: prise — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Dutch: vieren — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Finnish: ylistää — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- French: rendre hommage — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- French: célébrer — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Galician: celebrar — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- German: feiern — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- German: zelebrieren — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Greek: γιορτάζω (giortázo) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Hebrew: חגג (khagág) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Indonesian: merayakan — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Italian: celebrare — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Latin: celebrō — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Māori: whakanui — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Māori: whakahari — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Polish: wychwalać — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Polish: sławić — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Portuguese: celebrar — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Romanian: celebra — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Russian: че́ствовать (čéstvovatʹ) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Russian: прославля́ть (proslavljátʹ) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Russian: просла́вить (proslávitʹ) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Spanish: honrar — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Spanish: loar — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Spanish: alabar — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Swedish: fira — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Turkish: kutlamak — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Turkish: tesit etmek — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Ukrainian: прославля́ти (proslavljáty) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Ukrainian: просла́вити (proslávyty) — extol or honour in a solemn manner
- Arabic: اِحْتَفَلَ (iḥtafala) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Aromanian: sãrbãturescu — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Assamese: পাল (pal) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Assamese: পালন কৰ (palon kor) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Bulgarian: че́ствам (čéstvam) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Bulgarian: ознамену́вам (oznamenúvam) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Catalan: celebrar — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Chinese Mandarin: 慶祝 /庆祝 (qìngzhù) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Czech: slavit — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Danish: højtideligholde — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Dutch: vieren — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Finnish: juhlia — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- French: fêter — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- French: célébrer — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Galician: celebrar — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- German: feiern — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- German: zelebrieren — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- German: halten — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Greek: γιορτάζω (giortázo) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Ancient Greek: ποιέω (poiéō) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Hebrew: חגג (khagág) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Hungarian: ünnepel — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Indonesian: merayakan — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Ingrian: veettää — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Irish: ceiliúir — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Irish: ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Italian: festeggiare — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Italian: celebrare — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Japanese: 祝う (iwau) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Kazakh: мерекелеу (merekeleu) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Korean: 축하하다 (chukhahada) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Latin: celebrō — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Latin: faciō — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Malayalam: ആഘോഷിക്കുക (āghōṣikkuka) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Māori: whakanui — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Occitan: celebrar — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Persian: جشن گرفتن (jašn gereftan) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Polish: obchodzić — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Polish: celebrować — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Portuguese: celebrar — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Romanian: celebra — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Romanian: sărbători — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Russian: пра́здновать (prázdnovatʹ) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Russian: отпра́здновать (otprázdnovatʹ) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Russian: че́ствовать (čéstvovatʹ) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Serbo-Croatian: славити — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Serbo-Croatian: slaviti — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Sicilian: fistijari — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Spanish: celebrar — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Tamil: கொண்டாடு (koṇṭāṭu) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Turkish: kutlamak — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Ukrainian: сла́вити (slávyty) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Ukrainian: святкува́ти (svjatkuváty) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Ukrainian: відсвяткува́ти (vidsvjatkuváty) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Ukrainian: посвяткува́ти (posvjatkuváty) — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Vietnamese: kỷ niệm — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Walloon: fiesti — honour by rites, ceremonies, etc.
- Arabic: اِحْتَفَلَ (iḥtafala) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Armenian: տոնել (tonel) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Assamese: পাল (pal) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Assamese: পালন কৰ (palon kor) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Belarusian: святкава́ць (svjatkavácʹ) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Belarusian: адсвяткава́ць (adsvjatkavácʹ) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Bulgarian: празну́вам (praznúvam) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Catalan: celebrar — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Chinese Mandarin: 慶祝 /庆祝 (qìngzhù) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Chinese Mandarin: 慶賀 /庆贺 (qìnghè) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Danish: fejre — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Danish: feste — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Esperanto: celebri — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Esperanto: festi — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Finnish: juhlia — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- French: fêter — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- French: faire la fête — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Galician: festexar — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Galician: celebrar — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- German: feiern — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Gothic: 𐌳𐌿𐌻𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽 (dulþjan) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Greek: γιορτάζω (giortázo) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Indonesian: rayakan — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Ingrian: pittää — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Ingrian: veettää — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Italian: festeggiare — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Japanese: 祝う (iwau) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Kazakh: мерекелеу (merekeleu) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Korean: 축하하다 (chukhahada) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Malayalam: ആഘോഷിക്കുക (āghōṣikkuka) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Māori: hari — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Occitan: celebrar — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Polish: świętować — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Polish: uczcić — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Polish: oblać — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Polish: fetować — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Polish: celebrować — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Portuguese: celebrar — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Portuguese: festejar — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Quechua: kusikuy — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Romanian: sărbători — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Russian: пра́здновать (prázdnovatʹ) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Russian: отпра́здновать (otprázdnovatʹ) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Spanish: celebrar — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Spanish: festejar — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Swedish: fira — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Tamil: கொண்டாடு (koṇṭāṭu) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Ukrainian: святкува́ти (svjatkuváty) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Ukrainian: відсвяткува́ти (vidsvjatkuváty) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Ukrainian: посвяткува́ти (posvjatkuváty) — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Vietnamese: mừng — to engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event
- Catalan: celebrar — perform or participate in
- Dutch: vieren — perform or participate in
- Finnish: juhlia — perform or participate in
- French: célébrer — perform or participate in
- Galician: celebrar — perform or participate in
- German: feiern — perform or participate in
- German: zelebrieren — perform or participate in
- Greek: γιορτάζω (giortázo) — perform or participate in
- Hungarian: celebrál — perform or participate in
- Indonesian: merayakan — perform or participate in
- Irish: ceiliúir — perform or participate in
- Italian: celebrare — perform or participate in
- Malayalam: ആഘോഷിക്കുക (āghōṣikkuka) — perform or participate in
- Portuguese: celebrar — perform or participate in
- Russian: пра́здновать (prázdnovatʹ) — perform or participate in
- Spanish: celebrar — perform or participate in
- Ukrainian: святкува́ти (svjatkuváty) — perform or participate in
Real reading context