Black Friday

[ blak frahy-dey, -dee ]

noun

1. September 24, 1869, the date of a financial panic sparked by gold speculators.
2. the day after Thanksgiving, one of the busiest shopping days because of discounts offered by retailers: Compare Cyber Monday, Green Monday.

   I sign up for promotional emails at my favorite stores before Black Friday so I don’t miss any exceptional bargains.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Black Friday¹

First recorded in 1865–70; from black in the sense “marked by disaster or misfortune”; the 1951 sense “day after Thanksgiving” originally so called from the troublesome traffic caused by shoppers and later re-explained with reference to the use of black ink to record business profits

Example Sentences

The sector is now entering the crucial festive period with six weeks to go to Christmas, as retailers concentrate on Black Friday and encouraging people into physical stores as well as visiting their websites in the run-up to 25 December.

From BBC

Black Friday is a holiday sale that traditionally takes place on the fourth Friday in November, the day after Thanksgiving in the US.

From BBC

However, over time it has extended across the week, and now retailers often run Black Friday sales across the whole of November.

From BBC

The consumer group Which? is urging people to watch out for fraudsters offering deals that appear too good to be true ahead of Black Friday sales.

From BBC

"Since these products can be expensive, many people will be looking for discounted and cheaper options, but it’s important to be wary of scammers trying to take advantage in the run-up to Black Friday and Christmas," she said.

From BBC