AboutCarol Pozefsky Expertise Etymology: The origins of English words and phrases.
Anchor/Reporter NBC and CBS Networks. News Director 3 Regional Radio Stations.
Question Hi there! Would you please let me know the origins of the word 'holiday'.
Thank you!
Answer Hello and welcome to the new week,
Holiday is a compound stemming from the words holy and day. The word 'holiday' first surfaced in the 1500's replacing the earlier word 'haliday' which was recorded before 1200 in the Old English book Ancrene Riwle. Earlier , about 950, the word was 'haligdaeg' and appeared in the Old English Lindisfarne Gospels. It was a compound of halig (holy) plus daeg (day)
The best to you always, Carol P.
