adj · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
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
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Received-Pronunciation:/sɛ.ɹɪˈməʊ.nɪ.əs/
General-American:/ˌsɛ.ɹəˈmoʊ.ni.əs/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -əʊniəs
1
adj
Meaning 1
According to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals; specifically (Christianity, obsolete), to ceremonial laws in the Bible.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: inceremonious, unceremonious
2
adj
Meaning 2
Involving much ceremony; ostentatious, showy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: circumstantial
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Of a person: fond of ceremony or ritual, or of observing strict etiquette or formality; punctilious.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ceremonial
Antonyms: inceremonious, unceremonious
4
adj
Meaning 4
Synonym of ceremonial (“of, relating to, consisting of, or used in a ceremony or rite”); formal, ritual.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ceremonial
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective
Meaning 5
characterized by pomp and ceremony and stately display
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pompous
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
rigidly formal or bound by convention
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
their ceremonious greetings did not seem heartfelt
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: conventional
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Middle French cérémonieux (modern French cérémonieux) or directly from its etymon Latin caerimōniōsus + English -ous (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, denoting the presence of a quality in any degree (typically an abundance)). Caerimōniōsus is derived from Latin caerimōnia (“awe, reverence, veneration; sacredness, sanctity; religious ceremony, ritual”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kwer- (“to build, make; to do”)) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of, overly’ forming adjectives from nouns). By surface analysis, ceremony + -ous.
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
cerimoniós
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Chinese Mandarin:
冠冕
(guānmiǎn)
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Chinese Mandarin:
隆重
(lóngzhòng)
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Danish:
højtidelig
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Dutch:
ceremonieus
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Dutch:
plechtig
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Dutch:
statig
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Esperanto:
ceremonia
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Esperanto:
solena
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Faroese:
hátíðarligur
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Finnish:
muodollinen
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
French:
cérémonieux
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
French:
solennel
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Georgian:
ცერემონიული
(ceremoniuli)
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
German:
feierlich
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Hindi:
औपचारिक
(aupcārik)
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Hindi:
पारंपरिक
(pāramprik)
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Hindi:
परंपरागत
(paramprāgat)
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Hindi:
प्रथागत
(prathāgat)
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Italian:
cerimonioso
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Macedonian:
церемонија́лен
(ceremonijálen)
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Macedonian:
свечен
(svečen)
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Manx:
formoil
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Romanian:
ceremonios
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Romanian:
reverențios
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Scottish Gaelic:
nòsach
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Scottish Gaelic:
nòsail
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Scottish Gaelic:
òrdail
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Spanish:
ceremonioso
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Swedish:
ceremoniell
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Swedish:
högtidlig
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Swedish:
kruserlig
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
Vietnamese:
khách sáo
— according to the required or usual ceremonies, formalities, or rituals
