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Glite Dictionary
Shrovetide

Shrovetide

1 9.9
A period before Lent when people celebrate and confess, for example with carnivals and pancakes on Shrove Tuesday
  • noun
  • /ˈʃroʊvˌtaɪd/
: Carnaval

Examples

  • We see the king's birthday, Shrovetide, urban renewal, and a modern housing development, as well as the neon signs at night.

    Academic text (1999)

  • P187 DAWN. Church bells. Shrovetide.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • During Shrovetide, many families gather to enjoy pancakes before the start of Lent.

  • The village organized a festival filled with music and games to celebrate Shrovetide.

  • Historically, Shrovetide marked a time for confession and feasting before the solemn season of Lent.

Surface Forms

Shrovetide singular
Shrovetides plural

Morphology

Shrovetide = shrove + tide (opaque) = shrove + tide

Although formed from identifiable elements 'shrove' + 'tide', both components are archaic/cultural (related to confession and 'time/season'), so learners cannot reliably infer the specific liturgical period meaning.

Etymology

Shrovetide comes from shrove, the past of shrive, which means 'to confess', and tide, which means 'time' or 'season', as in Yuletide. So, Shrovetide is the 'time for confessing' and for parties and rich food before the fast of Lent.