Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: cerymonie, from Latin caerimonia

ceremony

 noun
     
cer‧e‧mo‧ny plural ceremonies
1 [countable] an important social or religious event, when a traditional set of actions is performed in a formal way [↪ ceremonial]:
the wedding ceremony
a graduation ceremony
the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games
2 [uncountable] the special actions and formal words traditionally used on particular occasions:
The queen was crowned with due ceremony.
3

without ceremony

in a very informal way, without politeness:
He wished me good luck in the future and left without further ceremony.

➔ not stand on ceremony

at stand1 (42)
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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