Observance

How to spell observance

10 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce observance

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does observance mean?

1. nounThe act of following, keeping, or honouring a law, custom, duty, or religious practice.
2. nounA ceremony, ritual, or formal act performed to honour an occasion.

Observance in a sentence

• Strict observance of the safety rules kept the factory accident-free.

• The town held a solemn observance at the war memorial each November.

• The company expects full observance of its data protection policy.

• A brief religious observance opened the festival each morning.

Where does observance come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This noun travels into English from the Latin observantia, meaning 'attention, regard, or the act of keeping watch', which was built on the verb observare. That verb combined ob-, here meaning 'towards' or 'over', with servare, meaning 'to keep, guard, or watch over'. So at its root the word literally describes keeping a careful eye on something, and from that grew the sense of dutifully keeping or honouring a rule, custom, or holy day. English borrowed it through Old French observance in the 1300s, already carrying the idea of following religious and legal practices. Notice that the same servare also lurks inside 'preserve', 'reserve', and 'conserve', all about keeping things; remembering that the heart of the word is serv, plus the French-style -ance ending rather than -ence, is the key to spelling it correctly.

How the word is built

• ob- (towards, on)
• serv (keep, watch)
• -ance (noun of action or state)