# celebrate

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈsɛl.ɪ.bɹeɪt/ · frequency rank #3,045

## Definitions
1. To extol or honour in a solemn manner.
2. To honour by rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly.
3. To engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event.
4. To perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to perform with appropriate rites.

## Etymology
From Middle English celebraten, from celebrat(e) (“celebrated”, also used as the past participle of celebraten) + -en, borrowed from Latin celebrātus, perfect passive participle of celebrō (“frequent, go to in great numbers, celebrate, honor, praise”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from celeber (“frequented, populous”). Displaced native Old English fæġnian.

## Easily confused with
- **celibate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/celebrate-vs-celibate)
- **celebrity** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/celebrate-vs-celebrity)
- **celebrated** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/celebrate-vs-celebrated)
- **calibrate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/calibrate-vs-celebrate)

## Common misspellings (13)
`ccelebrate`, `ceelbrate`, `celberate`, `celebarte`, `celebbrate`, `celebraet`, `celebratte`, `celebrrate`, `celebrtae`, `celerbate`, `cellebrate`, `cleebrate`, `eclebrate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/celebrate