a person who performs a religious rite, as the priest officiating at Mass
any person who celebrates; celebrator
Origin:
< L celebrans, prp. of celebrare: see celebrate
See celebrant in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
a. A person who participates in a religious ceremony or rite.
b. A person who officiates at a religious or civil ceremony or rite, especially a wedding.
c. In some Christian churches, the cleric officiating at the celebration of the Eucharist.
A participant in a celebration.
Usage Note: Although celebrant is most often used to describe an official participant in a religious ceremony or rite, a majority of the Usage Panel accepted the use of celebrant to mean “a participant in a celebration” in an earlier survey. Still, while New Year's Eve celebrants may be an acceptable usage, celebrator is an uncontroversial alternative in this more general sense.