ceilidh

noun

cei·​lidh ˈkā-lē How to pronounce ceilidh (audio)
variants or less commonly ceili
Synonyms of ceilidhnext
Scotland and Ireland
: a party with music, dancing, and often storytelling

Examples of ceilidh in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dancing The Irish Network hosts its annual ceili (dance) from 4 to 7pm Sunday at the Hyatt Centric French Quarter. — Carlie Kollath Wells, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025 The night concluded with a ceilidh hosted by Amber’s music school friends, the Haggis Chasers. — Rebecca Cope, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Irish céilí & Scottish Gaelic cèilidh visit, social evening, party with music and dancing, from Old Irish céilide visit, from céile servant, companion, neighbor; akin to Welsh cilydd companion, Old Breton kiled

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ceilidh was in 1875

Browse Nearby Words

ceil
ceilidh
ceiling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ceilidh.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceilidh. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ceilidh

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for ceilidh

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ceilidh

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