holiday

1 of 2

noun

hol·​i·​day ˈhä-lə-ˌdā How to pronounce holiday (audio)
 British usually  ˈhä-lə-dē
1
: holy day
an important Muslim holiday
2
: a day on which one is exempt from work
specifically : a day marked by a general suspension of work in commemoration of an event
will be closed for the July 4th holiday
a national holiday
plans for the holiday weekend
3
chiefly British : vacation
often used in the phrase on holiday
going on holiday
often used in plural
spent the summer holidays in Spain
4
: a period of exemption or relief
corporations enjoying a tax holiday

holiday

2 of 2

verb

holidayed; holidaying; holidays

intransitive verb

: to take or spend a vacation or holiday (see holiday entry 1 sense 2) especially in travel or at a resort : vacation
will holiday this year at the shore
holidayer noun

Examples of holiday in a Sentence

Noun July 4 is a national holiday in the U.S. The stock market is closed tomorrow because it's a holiday. She'll have four weeks' holiday next year. We're planning on taking a holiday in the Caribbean. Verb She likes holidaying in the Caribbean. saw kangaroos while holidaying in Australia
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The mother of six shared a photo of her family Friday on Instagram that was taken over the winter holidays. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 By slamming the door shut on the post-Cold War holiday from history, the war has unquestionably ushered in a new era of great-power nuclear competition. Kyle Balzer, National Review, 12 Mar. 2024 The brisk fall temperatures and empty beaches did not stop his family from enjoying their own unique holiday tradition: escaping life's underwhelming hustle and bustle for nature. Tonya Abari, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024 Wild turkeys are among the most recognizable birds in North America with their comically oversized bodies, extravagant plumage, and celebrity status over the Thanksgiving holiday. Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2024 The dress is also outfitted with a pretty lacy overlay that gives it a more elevated look, one that’s suitable for springtime weddings, holidays, and other special occasions. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 The last day of the fast, Eid al-Fitr, is one of Islam’s two official holidays. Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 The Jewish community celebrates their holidays with a wide variety of food offerings. Roger Sands, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 For some revelers, Carnival is closely tied to the Christian Easter holiday. Tracy Scott Forson, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
Here’s how to outsource your way to holiday happiness in 2024. Lucy Alexander, Robb Report, 17 Dec. 2023 Princess Diana talked excitedly about seeing her sons, Prince William, then 15, and Prince Harry, then 12, who were holidaying in Balmoral with their father, Prince Charles. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023 Weill, who had holidayed in the area since childhood, bought an old hotel on the site in 2016 and asked famed architect Philippe Starck to redesign it. Lucy Alexander, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2023 By the time David and Wallis are holidaying on Lord Moyne’s yacht Rosaura, Ernest is fully sunk. Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2023 Vittorio, 12, holidayed amid modernist glamour in Tuscany with three generations of his industrialist family. Sarah Thomas, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2023 The surge came, worse than imagined, with Americans determined to holiday their way through the new year like the pandemic didn’t exist. Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2021 For the world’s beleaguered airline industry, the measures give travelers yet another reason to think twice before taking to the skies and will probably end Britons’ plans of holidaying abroad this summer. James Ludden, Bloomberg.com, 12 May 2020 Morrison returned home early from holidaying in Hawaii ahead of Christmas following the death of two firefighters and amid criticism his government was doing too little to address climate change and a country-wide drought. NBC News, 29 Dec. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'holiday.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English hāligdæg, from hālig holy + dæg day

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of holiday was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near holiday

Cite this Entry

“Holiday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holiday. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

holiday

noun
hol·​i·​day
ˈhäl-ə-ˌdā
1
2
: a day of freedom from work
especially : a day of celebration or remembrance fixed by law
3
chiefly British : a period of relaxation : vacation
holiday verb
holidayer noun

Biographical Definition

Holiday

biographical name

Hol·​i·​day ˈhä-lə-ˌdā How to pronounce Holiday (audio)
Eleanora 1915–1959 Billie American jazz singer

More from Merriam-Webster on holiday

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