Mummery

mummery
    n 1: meaningless ceremonies and flattery [syn: {mummery},
         {flummery}]
    

Mummery \Mum"mer*y\, n.; pl. {Mummeries}. [F. momerie, of Dutch
   or German origin. See {Mumm}.]
   1. Masking; frolic in disguise; buffoonery.
      [1913 Webster]

            The mummery of foreign strollers.     --Fenton.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Farcical show; hypocritical disguise and parade or
      ceremonies. --Bacon.
      [1913 Webster]
    

113 Moby Thesaurus words for "mummery":
      Pecksniffery, Tartuffery, Tartuffism, abracadabra, acting,
      affectation, baccalaureate service, buffoonery, business,
      camouflage, cant, celebration, ceremonial, ceremony,
      characterization, commencement, convocation, disguise, domino,
      empty formality, empty gesture, exercise, exercises, false colors,
      false face, false front, false piety, falseness, formal, formality,
      function, gag, goody-goodiness, graduation, graduation exercises,
      ham, hammy acting, hocus-pocus, hoke, hokum, hypocrisy,
      hypocriticalness, impersonation, inaugural, inauguration,
      incognito, initiation, insincerity, lip service, liturgy, mask,
      masque, masquerade, mealymouthedness, mimesis, mimicking, mimicry,
      miming, mouthing, mumbo-jumbo, observance, office, oiliness,
      ostentatious devotion, overacting, pantomiming, patter,
      performance, performing, personation, pharisaicalness, pharisaism,
      pietism, pietisticalness, piety, piousness, playacting, playing,
      portrayal, projection, protective coloration, religionism,
      religiosity, religious ceremony, representation, rite,
      rite de passage, rite of passage, ritual, sanctimoniousness,
      sanctimony, self-righteousness, service, slapstick, smoke screen,
      snivel, snuffle, snuffling, soft soap, solemnity, solemnization,
      stage business, stage directions, stage presence, stunt,
      sweet talk, taking a role, tokenism, unction, unctuousness, visor,
      vizard, vizard mask