Celebrate, sel′e-brāt, v.t. to make famous: to distinguish by solemn ceremonies, as a festival or an event: to perform with proper rites and ceremonies, as mass, the eucharist, marriage, &c.: to publish the praises of.—n. Cel′ebrant, one who celebrates: the principal officiant at the holy communion.—adj. Cel′ebrated, distinguished: famous.—ns. Celebrā′tion, act of celebrating any solemn ceremony, as the eucharist (high, if with music, &c.; low, if without): an extolling; Celebrāt′or, one who celebrates; Celeb′rity, the condition of being celebrated: fame: notoriety: a person of distinction or fame. [L. celebrāre, -ātum—celeber, frequented.]
Celerity, sel-er′it-i, n. quickness: rapidity of motion. [Fr.,—L. celeritas—celer, quick.]
Celery, sel′er-i, n. a kitchen vegetable cultivated for its long blanched succulent stalks. [Fr. céleri—L. and Gr. selīnon, parsley.]
Celestial, sel-est′yal, adj. heavenly: dwelling in heaven: in the visible heavens.—n. an inhabitant of heaven.—adv. Celest′ially.—The Celestial Empire, a name for China. [Through Fr. from L. cœlestis—cœlum, heaven.]
Celestine, sel′es-tīn, or sel-es′tin, n. one of an order of monks following the rule of St Benedict, wearing a white garment with black hood and scapulary, founded about 1254 by Peter da Murrone, who became Pope Celestine V. in 1294, and resigned after five years—'the great refusal' of Dante.
Celestine, sel′es-tin, n. a mineral, native sulphate of strontia.—Also Cel′estite. [From its sky-blue colour.]
Celiac, sē′li-ak, adj. Same as Cœliac.
Celibacy, sel′i-bas-i, or se-lib′as-i, n. a single life: an unmarried state.—adjs. Celibatā′rian, favouring celibacy; Cel′ibate, living single.—n. one unmarried, or not allowed to marry. [L. cœlebs, single.]
Cell, sel, n. a small room in a prison, monastery, &c.: a cave: a small shut cavity: the grave: a unit-mass of living matter, whether rounded off by itself, as in the simplest plants or animals, and in the youngest stage of all organisms, or associated with other cells to form a higher unity.—adjs. Celled, having cells, cellular; Cellif′erous, having or producing cells; Cell′ular, Cell′ulated, consisting of or containing cells.—n. Cell′ule, a little cell.—adj. Cellulif′erous, having or producing little cells.—n. Cell′uloid, a hard elastic compound used for ivory, obtained by hydraulic pressure from pyroxylin, mixed with camphor, &c.—adj. Cell′ulose, containing cells.—n. the substance of which the permanent cell-membranes of plants are composed. [O. Fr. celle—L. cella, conn. with celāre, to cover.]
Cella, sel′a, n. the body of the temple, as distinguished from the portico, &c.