festival

[fes-tuh-vuh l] /ˈfɛs tə vəl/
noun
1.
a day or time of religious or other celebration, marked by feasting, ceremonies, or other observances:
the festival of Christmas; a Roman festival.
2.
a periodic commemoration, anniversary, or celebration:
an annual strawberry festival.
3.
a period or program of festive activities, cultural events, or entertainment:
a music festival.
4.
gaiety; revelry; merrymaking.
adjective
5.
festal:
a festival atmosphere of unrestrained joy.
Origin
1300-50; Middle English < Medieval Latin fēstivālis (diēs) holy (day). See festive, -al1
Related forms
prefestival, noun
Examples from the web for festivals
  • Cultural uses kite festivals are a popular form of entertainment throughout the world.
  • The city hosts various renowned festivals throughout the year.
  • One similarity is that many areas have harvest festivals with bonfires.
  • They participated in all formal village festivals, ceremonies, marriages, and funerals.
  • They hold festivals and dances to keep their traditions alive.
  • The calendar is strewn with festivals and fairs of different communities living together.
  • In some areas, they also provide occasional recreation at annual racing festivals.
  • It is the locale of many rallies, demonstrations, and festivals.
  • All those festivals are celebrated in a grand way at cuttack.
British Dictionary definitions for festivals

festival

/ˈfɛstɪvəl/
noun
1.
a day or period set aside for celebration or feasting, esp one of religious significance
2.
any occasion for celebration, esp one which commemorates an anniversary or other significant event
3.
an organized series of special events and performances, usually in one place: a festival of drama
4.
(archaic) a time of revelry; merrymaking
5.
(modifier) relating to or characteristic of a festival
Word Origin
C14: from Church Latin fēstivālis of a feast, from Latin festīvusfestive
Word Origin and History for festivals

festival

n.

1580s, from earlier adjective (14c.), from Old French festival "suitable for a feast, solemn, magnificent, joyful, happy," and directly from Medieval Latin festivalis "of a church holiday" (see festivity).