festive
/ˈfɛstɪv
/adjective
1Relating to a festival, especially Christmas: the festive season is fast approaching...
- The district carol service and our own Marks and Spencer at Christmas remind us the festive season is nearly here.
- Since we neared the festive season of Christmas parties have been going on nonstop.
- The final act of Christmas, it marks the end of the festive season, I guess.
1.1Cheerful and jovially celebratory: the sombre atmosphere has given way to a festive mood...
- I am not proposing we hold back on the festive celebrations, far from it!
- However, for Kate Wilkie it will be the first time she will be able to enjoy a festive celebration in four years.
- Not only was this a festive celebration, but I wanted so desperately to impress Zeek.
Synonyms
jolly, merry, joyous, joyful, happy, jovial, light-hearted, cheerful, cheery, jubilant, convivial, good-time, high-spirited, gleeful, mirthful, uproarious, rollicking, backslapping, hilarious;
celebratory, holiday, carnival;
Christmassy
informal chirpy
dated gay
archaic festal, frolicsome, sportive
Derivatives
festively
- Evan flagged down a taxi and held the side door open while Alex took a look around them at the festively lighted streets.
- Can the Metropolitan Opera open a new season festively and still make an artistic statement?
- The factory was festively decorated for the 100 guests and visitors who came to the opening.
festiveness
- The closest I've felt to festiveness thus far was at my work Christmas function, but that might have actually been drunkenness.
- When I've been in Muslim countries, you go and eat in people's homes, and there's a sense of being together and festiveness and community.
- While this may be due to the fact that the structure of apartment buildings makes pasting of couplets difficult, it detracts from much of the festiveness of the occasion.
Origin
Mid 17th century: from Latin festivus, from festum, (plural) festa 'feast'.