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religious ceremony

religious ceremony

8 2.9
A formal event where people meet to show shared beliefs with prayers and rituals
  • noun
  • /rɪˈlɪdʒəs ˈsɛrəˌmoʊni/
translation icon : ceremonia religiosa
  • From then on, a marriage could be contracted either with religious ceremonies or with a civil marriage.
  • participate in a religious ceremony
  • Indian religious ceremony
  • Native American religious ceremonies

And so, you know, in some sects of Catholicism in Brazil, it's used as sacrament during religious ceremonies.

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Examples

  • During grade school, I enjoyed being an altar boy because I believed the religious ceremonies brought me to God.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Chaplains administer religious ceremonies and offer counsel to service members.

    Academic text (2011)
  • There was a period of 100 years in which there were no strong religious ceremonies.

    Academic text (1999)
  • In her work, she recorded the stories of elders, who provided her with information on religious ceremonies.

    Academic text (2018)
  • What churches want to do in their own private religious ceremonies is their business.

    Blog text (18)
  • Music and dance play an important part in Newari religious ceremonies and festivals.

    Academic text (2016)
  • The annual festival was the outgrowth of an old pagan religious ceremony.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The recent Supreme Court restriction of peyote use in religious ceremonies is but one example.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Among the Lu and the Northern Thai, elders perform many of the civic-religious ceremonies that mark the village as a unit.

    Academic text (1992)
  • During his official visit to Thailand, Francis will preside at religious ceremonies and make pastoral visits to Catholic communities.

Synonyms

service
vsreligious ceremony
367 4.2

A religious meeting for public worship, often in a church

is the wider label for any formal religious event or ritual
church
vsreligious ceremony
305 1.0

A religious service for Christians

is the general religious event term not tied to a specific building or faith
rite
vsreligious ceremony
  • Formal
124 6.3

A formal ceremony often held as part of a religious tradition

is used for general religious events not only single ceremonial acts
celebration
vsreligious ceremony
  • Specialized
75 3.7

A public religious ceremony with formal rituals

is the general phrase for a formal religious event not limited to sacraments
liturgy
vsreligious ceremony
26 8.9

A planned public worship service with fixed prayers and actions

is a broad word for any ceremony not only fixed formal sequences
church service
vsreligious ceremony
19 2.1

A meeting in a church where people pray, sing, and listen to a talk

is the inclusive term for religious events in any place or tradition
wedding ceremony
vsreligious ceremony
14 1.1

A formal event where two people promise to marry and exchange vows

is the general term for formal religious events not limited to marriage
chapel
vsreligious ceremony
12 3.5

A short religious service often held at a school

is the broad term for any religious ritual anywhere not only small spaces
marriage ceremony
vsreligious ceremony
6 2.3

A formal event where two people promise to be partners

is the broad term for any religious ritual not only union ceremonies
consecration
vsreligious ceremony
  • Formal
5 8.7

To make a place or object sacred in a special religious ceremony

is the general name for religious events not focused on dedication acts
religious service
vsreligious ceremony
5 2.8

A public event where people pray, sing, and listen in a church or temple

is the neutral phrase for any ritual or formal religious event
sanctification
vsreligious ceremony
  • Formal
4 9.7

A religious ceremony that makes something holy for use in worship

is the broader label for religious events beyond making things holy or set apart
religious ritual
vsreligious ceremony
4 4.2

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

is the general term for a formal event rather than focused actions
religious rite
vsreligious ceremony
2 4.1

A formal ceremony that people follow as part of a religion

is the broader name for any formal event or ritual
puja
vsreligious ceremony
2 9.3

A Hindu ceremony with prayers and offerings to honor a god

is the broad term for formal religious events beyond specific traditions
divine service
vsreligious ceremony
1 7.4

A public ceremony in a church where people pray and sing

is the general term for religious ceremonies without the formal tone
chapel service
vsreligious ceremony
1 4.5

A short religious meeting in a small church with prayers and songs

is the general word for formal religious events beyond chapel settings
ceremonial mass
vsreligious ceremony
  • Formal
6.1

A formal church service with set ceremonies and a serious mood

is the wider phrase for religious events in all faiths not only Christian rites
concelebration
vsreligious ceremony
  • Specialized
9.0

A religious service that two or more priests lead together

is a more general term not limited to ceremonies with joint clergy
solemnization
vsreligious ceremony
  • Formal
9.5

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

is the general name for religious events not focused on legal recognition

How Formal

rite
  • Formal
124 6.3
ritual
418 4.6
religious ceremony
8 2.9
service
367 4.2
gathering
203 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

religious + ceremony

The meaning 'a formal event or ritual performed as part of a religion' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'religious' (relating to religion) with 'ceremony' (a formal event following customs). This adjective + noun composition is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand the phrase.

Etymology

Religious ceremony puts together religious (about worship and belief) and ceremony (a set of formal actions like prayers, songs, or rituals). Picture people in a church or temple following a leader through each step — this image shows why it means 'a formal event or ritual performed as part of a religion'.