Standard Lemma guide

observance

noun · 10 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

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.

  • General-American: əb-zûrʹvəns
  • General-American: /əbˈzɝvəns/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /əbˈzɜːvəns/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 B Z ER1 V AH0 N S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The practice of complying with a law, custom, command or rule.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The custom of celebrating a holiday or similar occasion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Observation or the act of watching.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A rule governing a religious order, especially in the Roman Catholic church.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: lifestyle, religion

Examples

  • Thomas Merton was a monk in the Order of Cistertians of the Strict Observance.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

That which is to be observed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

Reverence; homage.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

the act of observing; taking a patient look

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: observation, watching

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: look, looking, looking at

Narrower terms: monitoring, sighting, stargazing

8

noun

Meaning 8

conformity with law or custom or practice etc.

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: honoring

Antonyms: nonobservance

Broader terms: conformity, conformation, compliance, abidance

Narrower terms: punctilio

9

noun

Meaning 9

the act of noticing or paying attention

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he escaped the notice of the police

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: notice, observation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: attention, attending

Narrower terms: mind, remark

10

noun

Meaning 10

a formal event performed on a special occasion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a ceremony commemorating Pearl Harbor

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ceremony, ceremonial, ceremonial occasion

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: affair, occasion, social occasion, function, social function

Narrower terms: circumstance, funeral, wedding, wedding ceremony, nuptials, hymeneals, pageant, pageantry, dedication, opening, commemoration, memorialization, memorialisation, military ceremony, initiation, induction, installation, exercise, fire walking, formality, formalities, Maundy, potlatch

History

Etymology

From Old French observance, from Latin observantia. Equivalent of observe + -ance.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: спазване (spazvane) — practice of complying
  • Bulgarian: съблюдаване (sǎbljudavane) — practice of complying
  • Czech: dodržování — practice of complying
  • French: observance — practice of complying
  • German: Beachtung — practice of complying
  • Gothic: 𐍆𐌰𐍃𐍄𐌿𐌱𐌽𐌹 (fastubni) — practice of complying
  • Irish: coinneáil — practice of complying
  • Bulgarian: тачене (tačene) — the custom of celebrating a holiday
  • Dutch: feestdag — the custom of celebrating a holiday
  • French: observance — the custom of celebrating a holiday
  • Italian: giorno festivo — the custom of celebrating a holiday
  • Bulgarian: обряд (obrjad) — (religion) a rule governing a religious order, especially in the Roman Catholic church