any activity that is performed in an especially solemn elaborate or formal way; "the ceremony of smelling the cork and tasting the wine"; "he makes a ceremony of addressing his golf ball"; "he disposed of it without ceremony"
the proper or conventional behavior on some solemn occasion; "an inaugural ceremony"
a formal event performed on a special occasion; "a ceremony commemorating Pearl Harbor"
the prescribed procedure for conducting religious ceremonies
of or relating to or employed in social rites or rituals; "a ritual dance of Haiti"; "sedate little colonial tribe with its ritual tea parties"- Nadine Gordimer
of or relating to or characteristic of religious rituals; "ritual killing"
a refined quality of gracefulness and good taste; "she conveys an aura of elegance and gentility"
a quality of neatness and ingenious simplicity in the solution of a problem (especially in science or mathematics); "the simplicity and elegance of his invention"