holiday English · revision 3987

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 950|origins=ang hāliġdæġ}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈhɒl.ə.deɪ/, US /ˈhɑː.lə.deɪ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|haliday]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) [[inh|ang|hāliġdæġ|t=holy day, Christian festival, Sabbath]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) a compound of [[m|ang|hāliġ|t=holy]] and [[m|ang|dæġ|t=day]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) Old English also had the phrase hālig dæg, written separately, which became Middle English holy day;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) it developed into holiday in the late 14th century and replaced haliday.^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[holy]], [[day]] and [[holy day]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A consecrated day, a religious festival: about 950 in the Lindisfarne Gospels, according to Barnhart and the OED;^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) as a surname, Halidai, from the late 12th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 14th century it meant both a religious festival and a day free from work for recreation,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the pronunciation and sense diverged in the 16th century, leaving holiday and holy day.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The meaning was extended to “an occasion of joy and gaiety”.^(Etymonline) As an adjective, “used on a holiday”, it is from the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) In British English the holidays are a period away from school or work, a vacation;^(AHD)^(COED 2004) ''happy holidays'' is from the mid-19th century, of summer vacation from school, and a Christmas greeting by 1937, in American cigarette advertisements.^(Etymonline) The verb, “to spend a holiday”, is from 1869.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 950 – a religious festival.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1300 – a day off work.^(OED 1989)

+ * mid-15th century – adjective.^(Etymonline)

+ * 16th century – holiday and holy day diverge.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1869 – verb.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1937 – ''happy holidays'' at Christmas.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A day on which custom or law halts general business to celebrate or commemorate an event.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A religious feast day; a [[holy day]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A day free from work; a day off.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(chiefly British)'' A [[vacation]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(chiefly British)'' To spend a holiday.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[holidayer]]

+ * [[preholiday]]

+ * [[half-holiday]]

+ * [[holidaymaker]]

+ * [[bank holiday]]

+ * [[busman's holiday]]

+ * [[legal holiday]]

+ * [[national holiday]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[hallow]]

+ * [[Halloween]]

+ * [[whole]]

+ * [[holy]]

+ * [[day]]

+ * [[holy day]]

+ * [[vacation]]

+ * [[halibut]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}