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holiday. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
holiday, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
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English
Etymology
From Middle English halyday, holyday, halidei, haliȝdei, from Old English hāliġdæġ (“holy day, Sabbath”), equivalent to holy + day. Compare West Frisian hjeldei (“holiday”), Danish helligdag (“holiday”), Norwegian helligdag (“holiday”), Swedish helgdag (“holiday, feast”).
Pronunciation
Noun
holiday (plural holidays)
- A day on which a festival, religious event, or national celebration is traditionally observed.
- Synonyms: feast day, holy day
Today is a Wiccan holiday!
2005, Bill Clinton, My Life, volume II, New York: Vintage Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 5:Monday, January 18, was the holiday celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. In the morning I held a reception for the diplomatic representatives of other nations in the inner quadrangle at Georgetown, addressing them from the steps of Old North Building.
- A day declared free from work by the state or government.
- Synonyms: (UK) bank holiday, national holiday
- (chiefly UK, Australia) A period of one or more days taken off work for leisure and often travel; often plural.
- Synonyms: leave, time off, (US) vacation; see also Thesaurus:vacation
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 46:No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or […] . And at last I began to realize in my harassed soul that all elusion was futile, and to take such holidays as I could get, when he was off with a girl, in a spirit of thankfulness.
1949 August 11, “A Dreamer’s Holiday”, performed by Perry Como, The Fontaine Sisters, and The Mitchell Ayres Orchestra:Climb aboard a butterfly and take off in the breeze. Let your worries flutter by and do the things you please. In the land where dollar bills are falling off the trees. On a dreamer’s holiday. […] Make it a long vacation. Time, there is plenty of. You need no reservation. Just bring along the one you love.
- (chiefly UK, Australia) A period during which pupils do not attend their school; often plural; rarely used for students at university (usually: vacation).
- Synonym: (US) vacation
I want to take a French course this summer holiday.
- (finance) A period during which, by agreement, the usual payments are not made.
a mortgage payment holiday
- A gap in coverage, e.g. of paint on a surface, or sonar imagery.
- Synonym: lacuna
Derived terms
Translations
day on which a festival, religious event, or national celebration is traditionally observed
- Albanian: festë (sq) f
- Arabic: عِيد (ar) m (ʕīd)
- Armenian: տոն (hy) (ton)
- Aromanian: sãrbãtoari f
- Avar: байрам (bajram)
- Azerbaijani: bayram (az)
- Bashkir: байрам (bayram), ғәйет (ğəyet)
- Belarusian: свя́та n (svjáta), пра́знік m (práznik)
- Bengali: ছুটির দিন (chuṭir din)
- Bulgarian: пра́зник (bg) m (práznik)
- Burmese: အလုပ်ပိတ်ရက် (my) (a.luppitrak)
- Catalan: festa (ca) f
- Chichewa: holide
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 節日/节日 (zh) (jiérì), 節慶/节庆 (zh) (jiéqìng)
- Chukchi: праздник (prazdnik), эӈэӈыткун (ėṇėṇytkun), крычмын (kryčmyn)
- Chuvash: уяв (ujav)
- Crimean Tatar: bayram
- Czech: svátek (cs) m
- Danish: helligdag (da) c
- Dutch: feestdag (nl) m
- Esperanto: festotago
- Estonian: püha
- Finnish: juhlapäivä (fi), pyhäpäivä (fi)
- French: fête (fr) f
- Galician: festa (gl) f, día santo m, día festivo (gl) m
- Georgian: დღესასწაული (dɣesasc̣auli)
- German: Feiertag (de) m
- Greek: γιορτή (el) f (giortí)
- Ancient: ἑορτή f (heortḗ)
- Hebrew: חג \ חַג (he) m (khag), יום טוב (he) m (yóm ṭóv)
- Hindi: छुट्टी (hi) f (chuṭṭī), ईद (hi) f (īd) (Muslim)
- Hungarian: ünnepnap (hu)
- Icelandic: helgidagur (is) m
- Indonesian: liburan (id)
- Ingrian: pyhäpäivä
- Irish: lá saoire m
- Italian: giorno festivo m
- Japanese: 祭日 (ja) (さいじつ, saijitsu), 祭り (ja) (まつり, matsuri)
- Kazakh: мейрам (meiram), айт (ait)
- Khmer: ថ្ងៃឈប់សម្រាក (thngay chup sɑmraak), បុណ្យ (km) (bon), ថ្ងៃឈប់បុណ្យ (thngay chup bon)
- Korean: 축제일(祝祭日) (ko) (chukjeil), 축일(祝日) (ko) (chugil)
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: جەژن (ckb) (cejn), عهید ('eyd)
- Northern Kurdish: eyd (ku)
- Kyrgyz: майрам (ky) (mayram), айт (ky) (ayt)
- Lao: ມື້ພັກ (lo) (mư̄ phak)
- Latin: diēs fēstus m, fēria f, fēstum n
- Macedonian: празник m (praznik)
- Malay: hari perayaan
- Maltese: jum il-festa
- Manx: feaill f, feailley f
- Maori: hararei
- Mòcheno: fest n
- Mongolian:
- Cyrillic: баяр (mn) (bajar)
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: helligdag m, helgedag m, høytidsdag m, høgtidsdag m
- Nynorsk: heilagdag m, helgedag m, høgtidsdag m
- Old Church Slavonic:
- Cyrillic: праздьникъ m (prazdĭnikŭ)
- Pashto: عيد (ps) m (id)
- Persian: عید (fa) ('eyd)
- Plautdietsch: Heljedach m
- Polish: święto (pl) n
- Portuguese: feriado (pt) m
- Romanian: sărbătoare (ro) f
- Russian: пра́здник (ru) m (prázdnik)
- Scottish Gaelic: latha-fèille m
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: пра̑знӣк m, свѐтковина f
- Roman: prȃznīk (sh) m, svètkovina (sh) f
- Shor: пайрам (payram)
- Slovak: sviatok m
- Slovene: praznik (sl) m
- Spanish: festividad (es) f, fiesta (es) f
- Swahili: likizo (sw)
- Swedish: högtid (sv) c
- Tajik: ид (tg) (id)
- Tatar: бәйрәм (tt) (bäyräm)
- Telugu: సెలవు (te) (selavu)
- Thai: วันหยุด (th) (wan-yùt)
- Turkish: bayram (tr)
- Turkmen: baýramçylyk (tk), baýram (tk)
- Ukrainian: свя́то n (svjáto), пра́зник (uk) m (práznyk)
- Urdu: عید f ('īd), چهٿی f (chuṭṭī)
- Uyghur: بايرام (bayram)
- Uzbek: bayram (uz)
- Vietnamese: ngày lễ (vi)
- Welsh: gŵyl (cy)
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day declared free from work by the government
- Arabic: عُطْل m (ʕuṭl), عُطْلَة f (ʕuṭla)
- Gulf Arabic: عطلة (ʕɛṭlə), يوم راحة (yom raḥə)
- Armenian: տոն (hy) (ton)
- Bashkir: байрам көнө (bayram könö), ял көнө (yal könö)
- Basque: jaiegun
- Belarusian: свя́та n (svjáta), выхадны́ дзень m (vyxadný dzjenʹ), выхадны́ m (vyxadný)
- Bulgarian: пра́зник (bg) m (práznik)
- Catalan: dia de festa m, dia feriat m
- Chichewa: holide
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 國定假日/国定假日
- Czech: svátek (cs) m
- Danish: helligdag (da) c, fridag (da) c
- Dutch: feestdag (nl) m
- Esperanto: festotago
- Finnish: yleinen vapaapäivä
- French: jour férié (fr) m, jour de congé (fr) m
- Galician: día festivo (gl) m
- German: gesetzlicher Feiertag m, Ruhetag (de) m
- Greek: αργία (el) f (argía)
- Hindi: छुट्टी (hi) f (chuṭṭī), तातील (hi) f (tātīl), छुट्टी का दिन m (chuṭṭī kā din)
- Hungarian: szünnap (hu), szabadnap (hu)
- Indonesian: liburan (id)
- Irish: lá saoire m
- Italian: giorno festivo m
- Japanese: 休日 (ja) (きゅうじつ, kyūjitsu), 休暇 (ja) (きゅうか, kyūka)
- Kazakh: мереке (mereke)
- Korean: 휴일(休日) (ko) (hyuil)
- Lao: ມື້ພັກງານ (mư̄ phak ngān)
- Latin: fēriae f pl, fēstum n
- Macedonian: празник m (praznik), неработен ден m (neraboten den)
- Malay: cuti (ms)
- Malayalam: അവധി (ml) (avadhi)
- Maltese: btala, franka
- Maori: hararei
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: helligdag m
- Nynorsk: heilagdag m
- Persian: تعطیل (fa) (ta'til), هالیدی (hâlidey) (informal)
- Polish: święto (pl) n
- Portuguese: feriado (pt) m
- Russian: пра́здник (ru) m (prázdnik), выходно́й день m (vyxodnój denʹ), выходно́й (ru) m (vyxodnój)
- Scottish Gaelic: latha-fèille m
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: пра̑знӣк m
- Roman: prȃznīk (sh) m
- Slovak: sviatok m
- Slovene: praznik (sl) m
- Spanish: día festivo m (Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua), feriado (es) m (Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, Uruguay), día feriado m (Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Venezuela); día de fiesta m (Cuba)
- Swahili: likizo (sw)
- Swedish: helgdag (sv) c
- Thai: วันหยุด (th) (wan-yùt)
- Tibetan: གུང་གསེང (gung gseng)
- Turkish: tatil (tr)
- Ukrainian: свя́то n (svjáto), вихідни́й день m (vyxidnýj denʹ), вихідни́й m (vyxidnýj)
- Urdu: تعطیل (ta'tīl), چھٹی f (chuṭṭī)
- Vietnamese: nghỉ lễ
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period of one or more days taken off work for leisure and often travel
- Albanian: festë (sq) f, pushim (sq) m
- Arabic: إِجَازَة f (ʔijāza), عُطْلَة f (ʕuṭla)
- Armenian: արձակուրդ (hy) (arjakurd)
- Azerbaijani: tətil (az)
- Bashkir: ял (yal)
- Belarusian: во́дпуск m (vódpusk)
- Bulgarian: о́тпуска (bg) f (ótpuska), о́тпуск (bg) m (ótpusk)
- Catalan: vacances (ca) f pl
- Chichewa: holide
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 假日 (zh) (jiàrì), 休假日 (xiūjiàrì), 假期 (zh) (jiàqī)
- Czech: dovolená (cs) f
- Danish: ferie (da) c
- Dutch: vakantie (nl) f
- Esperanto: libertempo
- Estonian: puhkust
- Finnish: loma (fi), lomapäivä (fi), vapaapäivä (fi)
- French: congé (fr) m, vacances (fr) f pl
- Galician: vacacións f pl
- German: Urlaub (de) m, Ferien (de) pl
- Greek: διακοπές (el) f or pl (diakopés)
- Hebrew: חופשה \ חֻפְשָׁה (he) f (khufshá)
- Hindi: छुट्टी (hi) f (chuṭṭī), तातील (hi) f (tātīl), छुट्टी का दिन m (chuṭṭī kā din)
- Hungarian: szabadság (hu)
- Irish: saoire f
- Italian: vacanza (it) f, ferie (it) f pl
- Japanese: 休暇 (ja) (きゅうか, kyūka), 休日 (ja) (きゅうじつ, kyūjitsu)
- Kazakh: демалыс (demalys)
- Khmer: ថ្ងៃលំហែ (thngay lumhae), ល្ហែ (km) (lhae), រហែ (km) (rɔhae)
- Korean: 휴가(休暇) (ko) (hyuga)
- Kyrgyz: дем алыш (ky) (dem alış), отпуск (ky) (otpusk)
- Latin: cessātiō f, fēriae f pl
- Latvian: atvaļinājums m
- Lithuanian: atostogos (lt) f pl
- Macedonian: одмор m (odmor)
- Malay: cuti (ms)
- Maltese: vaganza
- Maori: hararei
- Mongolian:
- Cyrillic: амралт (mn) (amralt)
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: ferie (no) m
- Nynorsk: ferie m
- Pashto: تعطيل (ps) m (ta'tíl)
- Persian: تعطیل (fa) (ta'til)
- Polish: urlop (pl) m
- Portuguese: férias (pt) f pl
- Romanian: vacanţă (ro) f
- Russian: о́тпуск (ru) m (ótpusk), отгу́л (ru) m (otgúl) (unpaid)
- Scottish Gaelic: saor-làithean m pl, làithean-saora m pl, saor-latha m
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: о̀дмор m
- Roman: òdmor (sh) m
- Slovak: dovolená (sk) f
- Slovene: dopust m
- Spanish: vacación (es) f, vacaciones (es) f pl
- Swahili: likizo (sw)
- Swedish: semester (sv) c
- Tajik: таътил (tg) (taʾtil), отпуска (otpuska)
- Turkish: tatil (tr)
- Turkmen: dynç alyş
- Ukrainian: відпу́стка f (vidpústka)
- Urdu: تعطیل (ta'tīl), چھٹی f (chuṭṭī)
- Uyghur: تەتىل (tetil)
- Uzbek: otpuska (uz), taʼtil (uz)
- Vietnamese: ngày nghỉ
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period during which pupils do not attend school
- Azerbaijani: tətil (az)
- Belarusian: кані́кулы f pl (kaníkuly), вака́цыя f (vakácyja)
- Bulgarian: вака́нция (bg) f (vakáncija)
- Catalan: vacances (ca) f pl
- Chichewa: holide
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 假期 (zh) (jiàqī, jiàqí)
- Czech: prázdniny (cs) f pl
- Danish: ferie (da) c
- Dutch: vakantie (nl)
- Esperanto: (lernejaj) ferioj (eo)
- Estonian: vaheaeg, koolivaheaeg
- Finnish: loma (fi)
- French: vacances (fr) f pl
- Galician: vacacións f pl
- German: Ferien (de) pl, Urlaub (de) m
- Greek: διακοπές (el) f or pl (diakopés)
- Hungarian: szünet (hu), vakáció (hu) (summer only)
- Irish: laethanta saoire m pl
- Italian: vacanza (it) f
- Kazakh: демалыс (demalys)
- Korean: 방학(放學) (ko) (banghak)
- Latin: fēriae f pl, cessātiō f
- Latvian: brīvdienas f pl
- Macedonian: распуст m (raspust)
- Malagasy: fialantsasatra, fialantsasatra
- Malayalam: അവധിക്കാലം (avadhikkālaṁ)
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: ferie (no) m
- Nynorsk: ferie m
- Persian: تعطیل (fa) (ta'til), تعطیلات (fa) pl (ta'tilât)
- Polish: wakacje (pl) pl, ferie (pl) f pl (winter holidays)
- Portuguese: férias (pt)
- Russian: кани́кулы (ru) f pl (kaníkuly)
- Scottish Gaelic: saor-làithean m pl, làithean-saora m pl
- Swahili: likizo (sw)
- Swedish: lov (sv) n
- Tajik: таътил (tg) (taʾtil)
- Turkish: tatil (tr)
- Turkmen: kanikul
- Ukrainian: кані́кули f pl (kaníkuly)
- Uzbek: kanikul (uz), tatil (uz)
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finance: period during which, by agreement, the usual payments are not made
unintentional gap in coverage, e.g. of paint on a surface, or sonar imagery
— see also lacuna
Translations to be checked
Verb
holiday (third-person singular simple present holidays, present participle holidaying, simple past and past participle holidayed) (chiefly Britain)
- (intransitive) To take a period of time away from work or study.
- (Britain, intransitive) To spend a period of time in recreational travel.
Translations
to take a period of time away from work or study
to spend a period of time in recreational travel
References
Anagrams
Middle English
Noun
holiday
- Alternative form of halyday