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festival

Pronunciation: /ˈfɛstɪvəl/

The English word “festival” has 5 meanings listed here.

adjective

  1. Pertaining to a feast or feast day; festive. (Now only as the noun used attributively.)

noun

  1. A feast or feast day.
  2. An event or series of special events centred on the celebration or promotion of some theme or aspect of the community, often held at regular intervals.
  3. In mythology, a set of celebrations in the honour of a god.
  4. Fried cornbread.

Etymology

From Middle English festival (adjective), from Old French festival (“festive”), from Late Latin fēstīvālis, from Latin fēstīvus (“festive”). By surface analysis, festive + -al. Displaced native Old English frēols. The noun is shortened from festival day, from Middle English festival dai, festiuall day (“feast day, festival”).

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