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Feast vs Festive - What's the difference?

feast | festive |

As a noun feast

is a very large meal, often of a ceremonial nature.

As a verb feast

is to partake in a feast, or large meal.

As an adjective festive is

having the atmosphere, decoration, or attitude of a festival, holiday, or celebration.

feast

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) feest, feste, fest, from (etyl) feste, from (etyl) festa, plural of .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A very large meal, often of a ceremonial nature.
    • We had a feast to celebrate the harvest.
  • Something delightful
    • It was a feast for the eyes.
  • A festival; a holiday; a solemn, or more commonly, a joyous, anniversary.
  • * Bible, Exodus xiii. 6
    • The seventh day shall be a feast to the Lord.
  • * Bible, Luke ii. 41
    • Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
    Synonyms
    * banquet
    Derived terms
    * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) feesten, festen, from (etyl) fester, from , from the noun. See above.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To partake in a , or large meal.
    • I feasted on turkey and dumplings.
  • To dwell upon (something) with delight.
  • * Shakespeare
    • With my love's picture then my eye doth feast .
  • To hold a in honor of (someone).
    • We feasted them after the victory.
  • To serve as a feast for; to feed sumptuously.
  • * Bishop Joseph Hall
    • Or once a week, perhaps, for novelty / Reez'd bacon-soords shall feast his family.
    Derived terms
    * feaster * feast one’s eyes

    Anagrams

    * * *

    festive

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having the atmosphere, decoration, or attitude of a festival, holiday, or celebration.
    • The room was decked out in festive streamers, with flowers everywhere.
  • In the mood to celebrate.
    • Please put the Christmas decorations away, I'm really not in a festive mood.

    Synonyms

    * *