celebrated

Celebrated has two main uses in English. As an adjective, it means widely praised, famous, or renowned, typically because of achievement, significance, or long-standing tradition. As the past participle of the verb celebrate, celebrated is used in verb phrases to indicate that something is observed or commemorated, often in passive constructions such as "the festival is celebrated annually."

Etymology and development: The word derives from Latin celebrare, through Old French celebrer, and entered English with the sense of religious rites and public observance. The adjective sense—something that is celebrated or well known—emerged in early modern English as the past participle was used as a descriptive modifier.

Usage notes: Celebrated is commonly applied to people (a celebrated author), events (a celebrated festival), or works (a celebrated painting). It conveys positive regard and public recognition and is often synonymous with renowned, famed, or eminent, though it may carry emphasis on prestige rather than popularity alone. It is also used in headlines or promotional language to signal significance.

Related forms and variants: Celebratory describes something relating to celebration, while celebration denotes the act or process of commemorating. A celebrant is a person who participates in a celebration. The term can appear in a range of styles from neutral description to more emphatic praise, depending on context.