ceremonious
/sɛrɪˈməʊnɪəs
/adjective
1Relating or appropriate to grand and formal occasions: a Great Hall where ceremonious and public appearances were made...
- Manning's prime ambition, on the other hand, is to occupy the Red House, and behind the galvanised paling surrounding the south of the Red House, workmen are quietly and feverishly preparing for his ceremonious entrance.
- Accompanied by a local band and scores of poorly clad children of the nearby slums, the students were given a ceremonious welcome at the Telugu High School in Anjeneyar Nagar.
- After a few ceremonious waves of his arm the chief, with expert precision, sticks the needle into my bicep, a few inches from my armpit.
Synonyms
dignified, majestic, imposing, impressive, solemn, stately;
awe-inspiring, regal, imperial, elegant, grand, glorious, splendid, magnificent, resplendent, important, august, portentous;
formal, courtly, punctilious, courteous, civil, deferential, stiff, rigid, affected;
slow-moving, measured, deliberate, precise, scrupulous
informal starchy, just so
1.1Excessively polite; punctilious: he accepted the gifts with ceremonious dignity...
- This is the sense of the word most relevant to our endeavor; this usage, which has some currency, stands in contrast to other common meanings such as being rigid, ceremonious, solemn, customary or not casual.
- In addition to More's ceremonious demeanor and courtly attire, Sir John More wears his red robes of office as Judge of the King's Bench, hardly the right outfit for a visit with his grandchildren, one would think.
- Koreans are generally courteous to the extent of being ceremonious when they interact with social superiors but can be very outgoing and friendly among friends and acquaintances of equal social status.
Derivatives
ceremoniously
/ adverb ...- When the market moved to Cocklebury Road from its town centre site in 1952 the bell was ceremoniously handed over and struck at every market since.
- Proud owners ceremoniously take their covers off the cages, unveiling their latest acquisitions and jostling for position, trying to place their birds close to others that will encourage them to burst into song.
- With their massive ballrooms, twisting galleries, ceremoniously laid out kitchens and enviable furnishings, Chateaux were also the dwellings of European Kings and queens.
ceremoniousness
/ noun ...- Public ceremonial would be supplanted by royal ceremoniousness.
- Neatness, cleanliness and ceremoniousness are other ubiquitous compulsive character traits.
- They invite one another to play by a certain ceremoniousness of attitude and gesture.
Origin
Mid 16th century: from French cérémonieux or late Latin caerimoniosus, from Latin caerimonia (see ceremony).