Holiday
n.joyful, calmeveryday
Meaning 1
A period away from ordinary work or study used for rest, travel, or recreation.
Reach for it when describing restorative time away from routine responsibilities
The family spent the holiday walking quiet coastal paths.
Choose between these
4- playful
a brief trip provides escape and refreshment
not when Getaway requires travel and can sound commercial when someone simply rests at home.
- everyday
break
a short pause from work or school is meant
not when Break can last minutes and may not involve travel, celebration, or sustained rest.
- everyday
North American readers need the ordinary term for recreational time away
not when Vacation can be taken on any dates and does not necessarily coincide with a public holiday.
- professional
leave
authorized absence from work is the relevant fact
not when Leave can be for illness, care, or duty and need not be recreational.
Meaning 2
A day of public, cultural, or religious celebration or observance.
Reach for it when naming a recognized occasion while respecting different traditions
The library invited residents to explain how they observe the holiday.
Choose between these
4- warm
communal celebration extends across events or days
not when A festival is an organized celebration and may not confer time away from work.
- professional
public holiday
law or policy recognizes a day away from ordinary business
not when A public holiday need not be celebrated by everyone and varies by jurisdiction.
- formal
holy day
religious observance is the defining purpose
not when Holy day does not fit secular civic commemorations or personal vacations.
- formal
remembrance or ritual matters more than festivity
not when An observance can be solemn and may occur without an official holiday.
Said against
4- work period
- term time
- ordinary day
- workday
It naturally appears in
4- take a holiday
They plan to take a holiday after the harvest is stored.
- holiday from work
A holiday from work gave the caregivers time to rest.
- public holiday
The public holiday schedule includes emergency service information.
- holiday tradition
Each family described a holiday tradition without presenting it as universal.
Where this comes from
- Wiktionary, English noun sense 1: a period of recreation away from work or study opens in a new tab for meaning 1 · retrieved 2026-07-26
- Wiktionary, English noun sense 2: a day of festivity or exemption from work opens in a new tab for meaning 2 · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.