observance

Everyday

1. Following or obeying a law, rule or custom: «observance of the rules». tree →
2. (church, religion) Keeping a religious day or practice, such as resting on the Sabbath or fasting in Ramadan. tree →
3. A ceremony or ritual held to mark a special day: «religious observances». tree →

In the lessons

In religion lessons observance describes how believers keep holy days and customs: Jewish observance of the Sabbath, Muslim observance of Ramadan, Christian observance of Lent. In formal writing «strict observance» means following rules exactly. Phrases: «religious observance», «strict observance», «observance of the Sabbath».

Examples

• Observance of the Sabbath means resting on that day. tree →
• Her family's religious observance includes daily prayer. tree →
• The school closed in observance of the holiday. tree →
• Strict observance of the rules kept everyone safe. tree →
• Fasting is an important observance in Ramadan. tree →
• Different churches have different observances in Lent. tree →
• Many of these fables are characterized by the strictest observance of these rules. tree →

Note

Formal word. Countable for single customs, uncountable for the idea. Verb: observe (sense «keep, follow»). Trap: observance is not «observation» (watching carefully); a scientist makes observations, a believer keeps observances.