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Glite Dictionary
Whitsun

Whitsun

9.9
A week starting with Whitsunday when Christians celebrate Pentecost
  • noun
  • /ˈwɪtsən/
  • UK
translation icon : Pentecostés
  • Many people attend church services on Whitsun.

Examples

  • Schools traditionally closed for a week during Whitsun in the United Kingdom.

  • Many towns in England hold special Whitsun celebrations and parades.

  • The village fair was scheduled for the first day of Whitsun each year.

  • We celebrate Whitsun with family gatherings.

  • Many towns in England hold special Whitsun celebrations and parades.

  • Schools traditionally close for a week during Whitsun in the United Kingdom.

  • Many people attend church services on Whitsun to commemorate the Holy Spirit's descent.

Synonyms

Pentecost
vsWhitsun
7 9.2

A Christian festival fifty days after Easter that celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit

is the name for the surrounding week rather than the single festival day
Whitsuntide
vsWhitsun
  • UK
9.9

A week that begins on Pentecost in the Christian church, often with holidays and fairs

is the term for the whole week, with focus on the festival
Whitweek
vsWhitsun
  • UK
9.9

A week that begins on Whitsunday with church services and local celebrations

is used more generally for the week rather than only the first days
Whitsunday
vsWhitsun
  • UK
9.8

Seventh Sunday after Easter when Christians celebrate the Holy Spirit coming and a traditional Scottish day for rent and hiring

is used for the whole week starting that Sunday, not just the single day

Compounds

Whitsun Monday
  • Archaic
9.3

The day after Whitsunday that used to be a public holiday in England, Wales, and Ireland

Whitsun Tuesday
  • UK
9.9

The Tuesday after Whit Monday, two days after Pentecost in the Christian calendar

Surface Forms

Whitsun singular
Whitsuns plural

Morphology

Whitsun = Whitsunday (opaque) = whit + sun

Although historically from 'Whit' + 'Sunday' (contracted to Whitsun), the compound does not transparently indicate the festival meaning to an average learner.

Etymology

Whitsun comes from Whitsunday, the Christian festival at Pentecost. The name links to the word white ('white') because people long ago wore white robes for baptism at that time, so Whitsun now means the holiday week beginning with Whitsunday.