holiday

The word “holiday” means a day set aside for a religious, cultural, or national celebration, often free from work. In plain terms, a day (or period) of celebration or rest from normal work.

“Holiday” is pronounced HO-lih-day (/ˈhɑləˌdeɪ/ in IPA).

Here is “holiday” used in a sentence: “Thanksgiving is a major holiday in the United States.”

Depending on how it is used, “holiday” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “holiday” comes from Old English. From Old English hāligdæg, literally "holy day," originally referring to a religious feast day before broadening to any day of rest or celebration.

“Holiday” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Holiday” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a day set aside for a religious, cultural, or national celebration, often free from work.

In American English, a holiday is a special day of celebration, such as Christmas or Independence Day, while a vacation is a stretch of time off for travel or rest. In British English, holiday covers both meanings: Britons take a holiday where Americans take a vacation.

Holidays generally fall into three groups: religious, such as Christmas, Eid, or Diwali; cultural or traditional, such as Valentine's Day; and national or public holidays, such as an Independence Day. Public holidays are officially recognised and are often days off from work and school.

A public or national holiday is an official day off established by a government, such as New Year's Day. A religious holiday marks a sacred event or observance within a faith, such as Easter or Ramadan. Some religious holidays are also public holidays, but many are not.

Common examples include Christmas and Easter, which are religious; Thanksgiving and Independence Day, which are national; and Valentine's Day or Halloween, which are cultural. Many countries also mark a national day tied to independence or an important historical event, usually observed as an official day off.