ceremony

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ceremony

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

ceremony expression of shared feelings and attitudes through more or less formally ordered actions of an essentially symbolic nature performed on appropriate occasions. A ceremony involves stereotyped bodily movements, often in relation to objects possessing symbolic meaning. For example, people bow or genuflect, tip hats, present arms, slaughter cattle, salute flags, and perform a myriad of other actions. Ceremonies express, perpetuate, and transmit elements of the value and sentiment system and aim at preserving such values and sentiments from doubt and opposition; moreover, they intensify the solidarity of the participants. Ceremonies are found in all societies.

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"ceremony." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 28 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"ceremony." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (November 28, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ceremony.html

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ceremonial

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church | 2000 | | © The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church 2000, originally published by Oxford University Press 2000. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

ceremonial. In ecclesiastical usage, the performance of Divine worship with prescribed and formal actions.

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E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "ceremonial." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 28 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "ceremonial." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (November 28, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-ceremonial.html

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "ceremonial." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved November 28, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-ceremonial.html

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ceremony

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | © The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology 1996, originally published by Oxford University Press 1996. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

ceremony XIV. — (perh. through (O)F. cérémonie) L. cærimōnia religious worship, (pl.) ritual observances; see -MONY.
So ceremonial XIV. — late L. ceremonious XVI. — F. or late L.

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T. F. HOAD. "ceremony." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "ceremony." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (November 28, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ceremony.html

T. F. HOAD. "ceremony." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved November 28, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ceremony.html

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