CEREMONIOUS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does ceremonious mean? 

• CEREMONIOUS (adjective)
  The adjective CEREMONIOUS has 2 senses:

1. characterized by pomp and ceremony and stately display

2. rigidly formal or bound by convention

  Familiarity information: CEREMONIOUS used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CEREMONIOUS (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Characterized by pomp and ceremony and stately display

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

ceremonious; pompous

Pertainym:

ceremony (any activity that is performed in an especially solemn elaborate or formal way)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Rigidly formal or bound by convention

Synonyms:

ceremonious; conventional

Context example:

their ceremonious greetings did not seem heartfelt

Similar:

formal (being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress))

Derivation:

ceremoniousness (a ceremonial manner)

ceremony (any activity that is performed in an especially solemn elaborate or formal way)

ceremony (the proper or conventional behavior on some solemn occasion)

 Context examples 

She came solitarily down the gravel walk—a Miss Martin just appearing at the door, and parting with her seemingly with ceremonious civility.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Mrs. Bennet chose to consider it as given in compliment to her eldest daughter, and was particularly flattered by receiving the invitation from Mr. Bingley himself, instead of a ceremonious card.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

His cold politeness, his ceremonious grace, were worse than anything.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

There were to be no ceremonious performances, everything was to be as natural and homelike as possible, so when Aunt March arrived, she was scandalized to see the bride come running to welcome and lead her in, to find the bridegroom fastening up a garland that had fallen down, and to catch a glimpse of the paternal minister marching upstairs with a grave countenance and a wine bottle under each arm.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

He then directed our attention to the wall, and was beginning, I assure you, gentlemen, when I ventured to object to that ceremonious form of address, and to beg that he would speak to us in the old way.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Her entreaty had no effect on Tom: he only said again what he had said before; and it was not merely Tom, for the requisition was now backed by Maria, and Mr. Crawford, and Mr. Yates, with an urgency which differed from his but in being more gentle or more ceremonious, and which altogether was quite overpowering to Fanny; and before she could breathe after it, Mrs. Norris completed the whole by thus addressing her in a whisper at once angry and audible—“What a piece of work here is about nothing: I am quite ashamed of you, Fanny, to make such a difficulty of obliging your cousins in a trifle of this sort—so kind as they are to you!

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Mrs. Weston had set off to pay the visit in a good deal of agitation herself; and in the first place had wished not to go at all at present, to be allowed merely to write to Miss Fairfax instead, and to defer this ceremonious call till a little time had passed, and Mr. Churchill could be reconciled to the engagement's becoming known; as, considering every thing, she thought such a visit could not be paid without leading to reports:—but Mr. Weston had thought differently; he was extremely anxious to shew his approbation to Miss Fairfax and her family, and did not conceive that any suspicion could be excited by it; or if it were, that it would be of any consequence; for such things, he observed, always got about.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

He was received by Mrs. Bennet with a degree of civility which made her two daughters ashamed, especially when contrasted with the cold and ceremonious politeness of her curtsey and address to his friend.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Instead of returning my Good morning with his usual affability, he looked at me in a distant, ceremonious manner, and coldly requested me to accompany him to a certain coffee-house, which, in those days, had a door opening into the Commons, just within the little archway in St. Paul's Churchyard.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The evening of the very day on which they went brought a note from Mr. Elton to Mr. Woodhouse, a long, civil, ceremonious note, to say, with Mr. Elton's best compliments, that he was proposing to leave Highbury the following morning in his way to Bath; where, in compliance with the pressing entreaties of some friends, he had engaged to spend a few weeks, and very much regretted the impossibility he was under, from various circumstances of weather and business, of taking a personal leave of Mr. Woodhouse, of whose friendly civilities he should ever retain a grateful sense—and had Mr. Woodhouse any commands, should be happy to attend to them.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)