Ceremonialize

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To officially perform or carry out an event in the form of a formal ceremony
2. To conduct or execute a ritual or solemn observance in a ceremonious manner
3. To mark an occasion by following traditional or formal ceremonial practices

Etymology: "Ceremonialize" is a straightforward formation: it combines "ceremonial," an adjective that entered English in the late 1500s from Late Latin "caeremonialis," meaning relating to ceremonies, with the verb-forming suffix "-ize." That suffix, borrowed through Latin from Greek "-izein," turns a noun or adjective into a verb meaning to make, treat, or render in a certain way, as in "modernize" or "familiarize." The base word "ceremony" itself is traced to Latin "caerimonia," whose origin is uncertain, though it was long associated with the Etruscan city of Caere, where Roman religious observances were said to have been kept. That link is debated among scholars, so it should be treated as a possibility rather than a settled fact. "Ceremonialize" is attested in English from the 19th century onward and is less common than "ceremonial" or "ceremony," mostly appearing in discussions of how rituals or events are formally staged.

Synonyms: formalize, ritualize, sanctify, celebrate, observe

Antonyms: desecrate, disregard, ignore, overlook, neglect