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rite

rite

117 6.3
A formal ceremony often held as part of a religious tradition
  • noun
  • /raɪt/
  • Formal
: rito
  • It gave young people a rite of passage that old people didn't understand.
  • rites of passage
  • initiation rites
  • religious rites

And it was a, we believe it was one of the initial rites of Atlantis.

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Examples

  • And in fact, for centuries, this has been a rite of passage, and it still is today.

  • You know, all throughout history, most cultures have what they call a... rite of passage ceremony, turning boys into men.

  • However, in this case, the entire rite is held inside the domestic space.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Could you describe this annual Rite of Passage?

  • A number of these festival rites took place under clouds of war.

  • Some of you in the audience are participating in these festive rites for the first time.

  • Convoys of dump trucks full of sand are an annual rite of spring at Virginia Beach, Virginia.

    Academic text (1991)
  • And, and initiation rites around in tribal societies around the world.

  • In the glow of two candles, they participated in the rite: Marcia held a beaker;

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The graduation ceremony is a significant rite that marks the transition from student to graduate.

Synonyms

ceremony
vsrite
718 2.5

A formal event that follows traditional rules for a special occasion

is more tied to religious or solemn tradition than general formal events
service
vsrite
300 4.2

A religious meeting for public worship, often in a church

is the formal ceremonial act itself rather than the whole gathering
ritual
vsrite
274 4.6

A fixed set of actions performed in a ceremony, often for religion

is the formal act or ceremony that those actions can compose
liturgy
vsrite
27 8.9

A planned public worship service with fixed prayers and actions

is broader, applying to any formal ceremonial act beyond public worship
observance
vsrite
  • Formal
11 4.7

A formal event to mark or honor a special day

is the specific ceremonial act, not just the act of marking an occasion
9 2.9

A formal event where people meet to show shared beliefs with prayers and rituals

is the formal act, which can be religious or secular in context
celebration
vsrite
  • Specialized
8 3.7

A public religious ceremony with formal rituals

is the formal ceremonial act, which may be serious rather than celebratory
5 4.2

A ceremony with set actions from a religion like prayers and singing

is the formal ceremonial act, not only the sequence of actions
2 4.1

A formal ceremony that people follow as part of a religion

is the same idea but also covers solemn nonreligious traditions
ceremonial occasion
vsrite
  • Formal
1 4.9

A formal gathering with planned rituals to mark an important event

is the actual ceremonial act performed within such an occasion
solemnization
vsrite
  • Formal
1 9.5

A formal public ceremony that makes a marriage or other rite official

is the ceremonial act in general, not limited to public legal events

Compounds

A ceremony that marks an important change in a person's life, for example becoming an adult

A formal ceremony that people follow as part of a religion

How Formal

sacrament
45 9.5
ritual
274 4.6
rite
  • Formal
117 6.3
ceremony
718 2.5
observance
8 4.7

Surface Forms

rite singular
rites plural

Etymology

The word rite comes from the Latin word ritus, which meant 'ceremony', and it shares the same root as the English word ritual. So a rite is a formal or religious ceremony, which is why things like lighting candles or graduation events are called rites.