Lewis & Short

festīvĭtas, ātis, f. [festivus], festive gayety, festivity, mirth, merriment, joy.

  1. * I. Lit.: jocum, festivitatem, ferias, Plaut. Capt. 4, 1, 3.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. As a word of endearment (Plautinian): mi animule, Mea vita, mea festivitas (for which, shortly after: voluptas mea, meus festus dies), my joy, my delight, Plaut. Cas. 1, 47; 3, 3, 14; id. Poen. 1, 2, 176.
    2. * B. A pleasant or kind demeanor, kindness: mei patris festivitas et facilitas, Ter. Eun. 5, 9, 18; cf. festivus, II. A.
    3. C. Of speech, humor, pleasantry, jocoseness (Ciceron.; syn.: facetiae, lepor, sal): cum in illo genere perpetuae festivitatis ars non desideretur, Cic. de Or. 2, 54, 219: festivitate et facetiis C. Julius omnibus praestitit, id. Brut. 48, 177: nec umquam fuit oratio lepore et festivitate conditior (shortly before: faceta et urbana), id. de Or. 2, 56, 227: summa festivitate et venustate, id. ib. 1, 57, 243; id. Inv. 1, 18, 25: imago antiquae et vernaculae festivitatis (corresp. to facetiae and lepores), id. Fam. 9, 15, 2.
      In plur.: Gorgias his festivitatibus insolentius abutitur, play of words, witticism, Cic. Or. 52, 176; Gell. praef. § 4.
    4. D. Post-class., a festival, feast: festivitas in cunctis oppidis celebranda, Cod. Th. 15, 5, 3; Lampr. Alex. Sev. 63.
      In plur.: sollennes, Cod. Th. 6, 8, 1: natalium principis, ib. 6, 4, 30.