Feast Day
/ˈfiːst deɪ/noun
A day set aside for celebrating a religious event, saint, or other sacred occasion.
Did you know?In Christian tradition, feast days often replaced or absorbed earlier seasonal festivals, preserving ancient communal rituals beneath new religious names.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰēs-
“To set or establish; a proposed root connected with ritual or sacred observance.”
Ancient Latin
Latin
festum
“A religious festival or public holiday.”
Old French
Old French
feste
“A festival, celebration, or religious holiday.”
Old English
Old English
dæg
“A day, especially the period of daylight.”
12th–13th Century
Middle English
feste dai
“A day appointed for a religious festival or celebration.”
Modern English
English
feast day
“A designated sacred or commemorative day.”