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Glite Dictionary
red-letter

red-letter

3 7.6
An occasion like a wedding or graduation that you remember as very special
  • adjective
  • /ˈrɛdˌlɛtər/
translation icon : memorable
  • In my career, landing my first client was a red-letter day, as it marked the beginning of my freelance business.
  • a red-letter day

Examples

  • It was a red-letter day, therefore, when in the spring of 1994 I received a fan letter from Guy regarding a little autobiographical essay I had written for a comparative literature compendium.

    Academic text (2008)

  • August 19, 1841, was a red-letter day in the history of bankruptcy law.

    Academic text (2018)

  • But today is indeed a red-letter day.

    The Band Wagon (1953)

  • This is a red-letter day.

    Suspicion (1941)

  • Today will be a red-letter day.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • This is a red-letter day!

    Blog text (25)

  • Well, I guess this hasn't been exactly a red-letter day for any of us.

    Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

  • It was a red-letter day in my life.

    Blog text (16)

  • Today is a red-letter day for our family as we celebrate my sister's wedding.

  • For many students, graduation day is a red-letter day that marks the end of their academic journey.

Antonyms

ordinary
683 1.0

Normal and not special or unusual

forgettable
16 3.8

Not interesting or special, so people do not remember it

How Memorable

momentous
  • Formal
46 7.0
historic
501 3.9
red-letter
3 7.6
memorable
181 3.5
noteworthy
37 4.2

Surface Forms

red-letter positive

Morphology

red-letter = red + letter (semi-transparent) = red + letter

The components 'red' and 'letter' are clear, but the idiomatic meaning 'a special or memorable day' is not predictable from the parts alone.

Etymology

The word red-letter comes from the old habit of printing important days in calendars and books in red letters so they stood out. So a red-letter day is one you remember as 'special' or very important.