ceremony: Meaning and Definition of

cer•e•mo•ny

1. the formal activities conducted on some solemn or important public or state occasion: the coronation ceremony.
2. a formal religious or sacred observance; a solemn rite: a marriage ceremony.
3. formal observances or gestures collectively; ceremonial observances: The breathless messenger had no time for ceremony.
4. any formal act or observance, esp. a meaningless one: His low bow was mere ceremony.
5. a gesture or act of politeness or civility: the ceremony of a handshake.
6. strict adherence to conventional forms; formality: to leave a room without ceremony.
7. to behave in a formal or ceremonious manner.