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festival

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈfes.tɪ.vᵊl/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English festival,[2] first an adjective,[3] borrowed from Old French festival (“suitable for a feast; solemn, joyful”) and directly from Medieval Latin festīvālis (“of a church holiday”),[4][3] from Latin festīvus (“festive”),[2][3] from festum (“festival, holiday”), plural festa, neuter of festus (“of a feast”).[4][3] It is related to feast, festive and fête.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adjective, of or befitting a feast day: the 14th century in the OED and Merriam-Webster.[6][2] Festival day is from the late 14th century.[4]

Semantic evolution

The noun, a festal day appointed for celebration, is from the 1580s, a shortening of festival day;[4] the OED's first example is from 1589.[6] The adjective's sense “glad, joyful” (1592) is obsolete.[6] A series of musical performances recurring at intervals is from 1857,[6] and an American fair from 1869.[6] Before the Reformation a festival was also a book of sermons for the feast days.[6] The English word returned to French in the 19th century in certain specialised senses.[4]

Timeline

  • 14th century – adjective, of a feast day.[6][2]
  • late 14th century – festival day.[4]
  • 1491 – a book of sermons for feasts.[6]
  • 1589 – noun, a festal day.[6]
  • 1857 – a music festival.[6]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A day or time of celebration, especially a recurring religious one.
  2. A series of cultural events, such as concerts or films, held regularly: a film festival.
  3. Revelry; merrymaking.

Adjective

  1. Of or suitable for a feast; festive.

Word family

  • festivalgoer
  • prefestival
  • festal
  • festive
  • festivity
  • feast
  • fête
  • fiesta
  • festoon

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  3. ^ a b c d Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press