movable feast: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Literary
Quick answer
What does “movable feast” mean?
A religious holiday (especially Easter) whose date changes each year, not fixed to a specific calendar date.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A religious holiday (especially Easter) whose date changes each year, not fixed to a specific calendar date.
An event, experience, or activity that is flexible in its timing, nature, or form; something not fixed in place or character.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. 'Movable' is the standard spelling in both, though 'moveable' (with an extra 'e') is an archaic variant sometimes seen in British historical texts.
Connotations
In both varieties, the phrase is evocative. The metaphorical use is perhaps more common in American intellectual/literary discourse.
Frequency
Low frequency in everyday speech in both, but recognized by educated speakers. The metaphorical use is marginally more frequent in American English due to the influence of Hemingway's novel title.
Grammar
How to Use “movable feast” in a Sentence
[Be] + a movable feast[Subject] + is/becomes + a movable feasttreat + [something] + as a movable feastVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “movable feast” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The movable-feast nature of the event complicates planning.
American English
- We're dealing with a movable-feast schedule for the tour.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used metaphorically: 'Our product launch is a movable feast depending on regulatory approval.'
Academic
Used in religious studies, history, and literary criticism (referencing Hemingway).
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation. If used, it's metaphorical: 'Dinner with John is a movable feast—he's always late.'
Technical
Specific term in ecclesiastical calendars for holidays like Easter, Pentecost.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “movable feast”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “movable feast”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “movable feast”
- Confusing 'movable' with 'moveable' (both acceptable, but 'movable' is standard).
- Using it to mean simply 'a large meal that can be transported'.
- Misspelling as 'moveable feast' (though this is a minor variant).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Movable' is the standard modern spelling. 'Moveable' is an older variant, now less common, but you might see it in historical texts or as a stylistic choice.
Almost never in modern usage. The phrase is almost exclusively used for its religious or metaphorical meanings. To describe a meal that is physically portable, you would say 'a meal to go' or 'a portable feast'.
It is famously the title of Ernest Hemingway's posthumously published memoir, 'A Moveable Feast', about his early years in Paris. This solidified the metaphorical use in popular culture.
An 'immovable feast' or 'fixed feast', like Christmas, which always falls on the same calendar date (December 25th).
A religious holiday (especially Easter) whose date changes each year, not fixed to a specific calendar date.
Movable feast is usually formal, literary in register.
Movable feast: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmuːvəbl ˈfiːst/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmuːvəbəl ˈfiːst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a feast (a big dinner) that you can MOVE to a different date each year, unlike Christmas which is always on December 25th.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS SPACE (a date can be moved); AN EVENT IS A MEAL.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary, non-metaphorical meaning of 'movable feast'?