commemoration
- 01 C1 Advanced
a ceremony or event held to remember and show respect for someone or something important.
the act of commemorating; a formal observance or celebration intended to honor the memory of a person or historical event.
Simple“The town held a quiet commemoration for the soldiers who died in the war.”
In context“The annual commemoration of the armistice serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by previous generations.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'of'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
something created to help people remember a person or event, like a statue or a plaque.
a physical object, monument, or memorial that serves the purpose of preserving a memory.
Simple“The bronze plaque was placed on the wall as a commemoration of the school's founder.”
In context“Architects designed the monument not merely as a decoration, but as a lasting commemoration of the city's resilience after the earthquake.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
a special mention of a saint or a dead person during a religious service.
the specific mention or naming of individual saints or the deceased within formal prayers or liturgy.
Simple“The priest included a special commemoration for the saints during the morning prayer.”
In context“In the traditional liturgy, the commemoration of the martyrs follows the primary collect of the day.”
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
a famous annual festival at Oxford University with special ceremonies.
the primary festival of the Oxford academic year, featuring the Encaenia and various social celebrations.
Simple“Many graduates returned to the university to attend the Commemoration events in June.”
In context“Commemoration remains a cornerstone of the Oxford social calendar, traditionally held in the ninth week of the Trinity term.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is highly specific to the University of Oxford and is usually capitalized in that context.
Synonyms
“Brown argues that its Revolutionary pedigree probably developed later, amid the centennial commemorations of the 1870s, when many American families were emphasizing their connections to the nation's founding era.”
“Between 1915 and 1918 , communities across the United States combined commemorations of the nation’s founding with Americanization Day , a holiday held to encourage immigrants to fully assimilate into American society.”
First attested in 1384, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English commemoracioun, from Old French commemoration (French commémoration), from Latin commemorātiō. By surface analysis, commemorate + -ion
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.