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Recognize vs Celebrate - What's the difference?

recognize | celebrate |

In transitive terms the difference between recognize and celebrate

is that recognize is to give an award while celebrate is to perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to solemnize; to perform with appropriate rites.

recognize

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) reconoistre, from (etyl) recognoscere, first attested in the 16th century. Displaced native English , compare German erkennen.

Alternative forms

* recognise (non-Oxford British spelling)

Verb

(recogniz) (North American and Oxford British spelling)
  • To match something or someone which one currently perceives to a memory of some previous encounter with the same entity.
  • * 1900 , , (The House Behind the Cedars) , Chapter I,
  • He looked in vain into the stalls for the butcher who had sold fresh meat twice a week, on market days, and he felt a genuine thrill of pleasure when he recognized the red bandana turban of old Aunt Lyddy, the ancient negro woman who had sold him gingerbread and fried fish, and told him weird tales of witchcraft and conjuration, in the old days when, as an idle boy, he had loafed about the market-house.
  • To acknowledge the existence or legality of something; treat as valid or worthy of consideration.
  • To acknowledge or consider as something.
  • To realize or discover the nature of something; apprehend quality in; realize or admit that.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Katrina G. Claw
  • , title= Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm , volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.}}
  • To give an award.
  • To show appreciation of.
  • to recognize services by a testimonial
  • (obsolete) To review; to examine again.
  • (South)
  • (obsolete) To reconnoiter.
  • Derived terms
    * recognizability * recognizable * recognizably * recognizance * recognizant * recognization * recognizee * recognizer * recognizor

    Etymology 2

    From re-'' + ''cognize

    Alternative forms

    * re-cognize

    Verb

    (recogniz) (North American and Oxford British spelling)
  • To cognize again.
  • celebrate

    English

    Verb

    (celebrat)
  • To extol or honour in a solemn manner.
  • to celebrate the name of the Most High
  • To honour by rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly; to keep.
  • to celebrate a birthday
  • * {{quote-book, year=1907, author=
  • , title=The Dust of Conflict , chapter=20 citation , passage=Hester Earle and Violet Wayne were moving about the aisle with bundles of wheat-ears and streamers of ivy, for the harvest thanksgiving was shortly to be celebrated , while the vicar stood waiting for their directions on the chancel steps with a great handful of crimson gladioli.}}
  • To engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event.
  • I was promoted today at work—let’s celebrate !
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=May 5 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=As Di Matteo celebrated and captain John Terry raised the trophy for the fourth time, the Italian increased his claims to become the permanent successor to Andre Villas-Boas by landing a trophy.}}
  • To perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to solemnize; to perform with appropriate rites.
  • to celebrate a marriage

    Usage notes

    In sense “to conduct ceremonies, to follow a custom”, generally used of festive occasions, such as Christmas and birthdays. For more solemn occasions, particularly certain religious holidays (“holy days”) and commemorations, the term observe is used instead, as in “This office will be closed in observance of Veterans Day.”

    Synonyms

    *