Easter
/ˈiː.stər/noun
A Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Did you know?The name 'Easter' likely derives from Eostre, a goddess of spring and fertility, intertwining pagan and Christian traditions.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*aus-
“to shine or dawn, indicating the arrival of light.”
Old English
Old English
ēastre
“the spring season, named after the goddess Eostre.”
Old High German
Old High German
ōstar
“spring season, related to the dawn.”
9th Century
Old English
ēastre
“the festival of resurrection celebrated in spring.”
Modern English
English
Easter
“the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, evolving from earlier pagan traditions.”