week English · revision 1825

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=878 (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle)|origins=gem-pro *wikōn}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /wiːk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|weke]], [[m|enm|wike]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|wice]], also [[m|ang|wicu]] and [[m|ang|wucu]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) from [[gem-pro|*wikōn]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Hoad 1986) which probably first meant “turn, succession”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(COED 2004)^(SOED 2002) Its cognates are [[ofs|wike]], [[osx|wika]], [[nl|week]], [[goh|wehha]] (modern [[de|Woche]]) and [[non|vika]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(SOED 2002) and it is related to [[got|𐍅𐌹𐌺𐍉|tr=wikō|t=order, turn]], which translates Greek [[m|grc|τάξις|tr=táxis]] in Luke 1:8.^(Skeat 1911)^(SOED 2002) The same idea of change is seen in German [[m|de|Wechsel|t=change]] and probably in [[la|vicis|t=change, turn]].^(Klein 1966)^(MWU 2024) Etymonline cites Watkins for a root [[ine-pro|*weik-|t=to bend, wind]], and Boutkan for a root meaning “exchange”.^(Etymonline) The vowel varied in Old and Middle English, and Skeat notes a later form ''wucu'' that gave Middle English [[m|enm|wouke]], now lost.^(Etymonline)^(Skeat 1911)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The cycle of seven days (Old English ''wice'', 878, in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'').^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ According to Buck, quoted by Etymonline, the Germanic word may once have named some other division of time, such as a change of the moon, but there is no firm evidence of a native Germanic week before contact with the Romans.^(Etymonline) The seven-day week of the Hebrew and then the Christian calendar was adopted by the Romans in AD 321 and probably reached Britain with them.^(Cresswell 2021) The sense “any seven days, from whenever counted” is recorded from about 1055,^(OED 1989) the working days of the week from 1389^(HTOED) and ''weeks'' for an indefinitely long time from 1597.^(HTOED) Phrases such as ''Monday week'', “a week from Monday”, date from 1680;^(HTOED) in Middle English a week ahead was ''to day seven night''.^(Etymonline) Weekley calls ''week-end'' a northern expression that became general around 1885.^(Weekley 1921) ''A week is a long time in politics'' was said by Harold Wilson during the sterling crisis of 1964.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 878 – Old English ''wice'' (''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 950 – a particular week of the year, such as Easter week.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1055 – any period of seven days.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1200 – Middle English ''wike'' (Layamon).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1389 – the working week.^(HTOED)

+ * 1597 – ''weeks'', a long time.^(HTOED)

+ * 1604 – similar cycles of days in other cultures.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1680 – ''Monday week'', a week after Monday.^(HTOED)

+ * c. 1885 – ''week-end'' in general use.^(Weekley 1921)

+ * 1964 – “a week is a long time in politics” (Harold Wilson).^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A period of seven days.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # The seven days of the calendar, usually counted from Sunday or Monday.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The working days of the week, or the time spent working in them.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # A week marked by a holiday or devoted to a cause: ''Easter week''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # ''(British)'' A week after a named day: ''Sunday week''.^(COED 2004)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[midweek]]

+ * [[weekend]]

+ * [[workweek]]

+ * [[weeklong]]

+ * [[weekly]]

+ * [[biweekly]]

+ * [[weeknight]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[weekday]]

+ * [[fortnight]]

+ * [[vicarious]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}