a. and sb. Forms: 4 cerimonial, -yal, cerymonial, (sermonyal), 5 ceremonyalle, cerymonyal, 5–7 ceremoniall, 6 ceremonyall, cerimoniall, 5– ceremonial. [ad. L. cærimōniāl-is (3rd c.), f. cærimōnia: see -AL. So mod.F. cérémonial (16th c. in Littré).]
A. adj.
1. Relating to, consisting of, or characterized by ceremonies; of the nature of a ceremony or rite; ritual; formal.
138[?]. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 57. Kepyng of þe Sabot was sumwhat a comandement and sumwhat cerymonial, to figure þat Christ shuld reste in þe tombe al þe satirdai.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 392/1. To accomplysshe the commaundementes ceremonyalles of the feythe.
1545. Brinklow, Lament. (1874), 87. A vayne supersticious cerimoniall Masse.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. ii. 6. The ceremoniall rites of marriage.
1634. Canne, Necess. Separ. (1849), 288. A curate that will keep the ceremonial law.
1755. Adair, Amer. Ind., 106. Speaking certain old ceremonial words.
1853. Robertson, Serm., IV. xix. (1876), 248. The ceremonial law, which constrains life by customs.
1883. Gilmour, Mongols, xxvi. 316. The head lama … in his most imposing ceremonial costume.
b. Relating to or involving the formalities of social intercourse.
1549. Compl. Scot., xvii. 145. Ther vas no ceremonial reuerens nor stait, quha suld pas befor or behynd.
1750. Johnson, Rambl., No. 1, ¶ 2. Such ceremonial modes of entrance.
1851. Dixon, W. Penn, xxiv. (1872), 214. Laying on one side all ceremonial manners.
† 2. Of persons: Addicted to ceremony or ritual; precise in observance of forms of politeness; formal, ceremonious. Obs.
1579. Fulke, Confut. Sanders, 550. Though Gregorie otherwise a ceremoniall and superstitious man, was moued with zeale of Christes glorie, to seeke the conuersion of as many as he could.
1599. Sandys, Europæ Spec. (1632), 152. Very magnificall and ceremoniall in his outward comportement.
1653. Milton, Hirelings, Wks. (1851), 357. They quote Ambrose, Augustin, and some other ceremonial Doctors.
B. sb.
† 1. A ceremonial commandment or ordinance.
1382. Wyclif, Prol. Bible, ii. The old testament is departid … in to moral comaundementis, iudicials, and cerimonyals.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., V. viii. 526. God ordeyned the ceremonialis and the iudicialis … to the Iewis.
1621. R. Johnson, Way to Glory, 35. If then tythes be neither ceremonials nor Iudicials, they must needes be morals.
2. A prescribed system of ceremonies; a series of rites or formalities observed on any occasion; a ritual. rarely, A rite or ceremony.
1672–9. Temple, Mem., ii. I remember no other points of the ceremonial, that seem to have been established by the course of this assembly.
1750. Johnson, Rambl., No. 78, ¶ 6. To adjust the ceremonial of death.
1830. D’Israeli, Chas. I., III. x. 214. The ceremonial prescribed in the Anglican service.
1840. G. S. Faber, Regen., 150. The use of water is not a mere empty ceremonial.
1880. McCarthy, Own Times, IV. lix. 308. No ceremonial could be at once more useless and more mischievous.
3. A usage of formal courtesy or politeness; the observance of conventional forms in social intercourse; = CEREMONY 2, 3.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XVI. viii. The two ladies … after very short previous ceremonials, fell to business.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl., 23 April. Maintaining a ceremonial more still, formal, and oppressive than the etiquette of a German Elector.
1858. Gladstone, Homer, II. II. 69. We do not hear a great deal respecting mere ceremonial among the Olympian divinities.
† 4. A robe or garment worn on some ceremonial occasion; = CEREMONY 4. Obs.
c. 1610. Sir J. Melvil, Mem. (1827), 122. The ceremony [the installation of Lord Robert Dudley as Earl of Leicester] took place at Westminster, herself [Elizabeth] helping to put on his ceremonial.
5. R. C. Ch. The order for rites and ceremonies, or a book containing this.
1612. E. Grimstone, trans. Matthieu’s Heroyk Life, I. 31. This is a History, not a Ceremoniall.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., The Roman ceremonial was first published by the bishop of Corcyra in 1516.
