History and Etymology
Middle English
celebraten, borrowed from Latin
celebrātus, past participle of
celebrāre "to throng, frequent, observe (an occasion, festivity), praise" (probably originally back-formation from earlier
concelebrāre "to frequent, honor"), derivative of
celebr-, celeber "much used, frequented, widely known, famed," probably going back to
*kelesri-, of uncertain origin