encaenia

noun

en·​cae·​nia en-ˈsē-nyə How to pronounce encaenia (audio)
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
often capitalized
: an annual university ceremony (as at Oxford) of commemoration with recital of poems and essays and conferring of degrees

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, dedication festival, from Greek enkainia, from en + kainos new — more at recent

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of encaenia was in 1691

Dictionary Entries Near encaenia

Cite this Entry

“Encaenia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encaenia. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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