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Monday

[ muhn-dey, -dee ]

noun

  1. the second day of the week, following Sunday.


Monday

/ ˈmʌndɪ; -deɪ /

noun

  1. the second day of the week; first day of the working week
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of Monday1

before 1000; Middle English Mone ( n ) day, Old English mōn ( an ) dæg, translation of Late Latin lūnae diēs moon's day
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Word History and Origins

Origin of Monday1

Old English mōnandæg moon's day, translation of Late Latin lūnae diēs
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Example Sentences

“One Tree Hill” alum Jana Kramer wrote Monday on an Instagram story that Teal was “always so sweet and kind and was so fun to work alongside,” USA Today reported.

“I would encourage my Republican colleagues to join with us to get this done now,” Stabenow said during a floor speech Monday.

From Salon

Unusually jaunty when he met with reporters Monday, Foster poked fun at the academic merits of the school across town.

The IDF said in a statement on Monday that its forces had killed "dozens of terrorists in close-quarters encounters and through targeted strikes" in the Beit Lahia area over the past week.

From BBC

Snow started falling across parts of the UK on Monday night, causing more than 140 schools to shut in Wales and several roads to close.

From BBC

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More About Monday

What does Monday mean?

Monday is the weekday between Sunday and Tuesday.

Many countries in North and South America, including the U.S. and Canada, consider the calendar week to begin on Sunday, with Monday being the second day of the week. In other places, including in much of Europe and Asia, Monday is considered the first day of the week. In parts of the Middle East and other places, the week is considered to begin on Saturday.

Regardless of when the week officially begins, in many places Monday is considered the first day of the workweek, the five-day span during which many people work and that ends on Friday (with Saturday and Sunday considered the weekend).

Since for many people Monday is the first workday (or school day) after the weekend, it is associated with a return to work and responsibilities. For this reason, and because Mondays have a tendency to be busy and hectic, it is often considered the most disliked day of the week (at least by Garfield, anyway).

The phrase case of the Mondays is a humorous way of referring to the state of being grumpy or sluggish because it is a Monday. The slang term Mondaze (pronounced like Mondays) similarly refers to the daze you might find yourself in on a Monday.

The word Mondays can be used as an adverb meaning every Monday or on Mondays, as in I work Mondays or Many restaurants are closed Mondays. 

To indicate the general time of day during which something will happen on a Monday, the word can be followed by the general time, as in Monday morning, Monday afternoon, Monday evening, and Monday night. 

Example: People hate Monday, but for me, the worst day of the week is Tuesday—it’s still days away from Friday without any of that recent weekend glow.

Where does Monday come from?

The first records of the word Monday come from before 1000. It comes from the Middle English Mone(n)day, from the Old English mōn(an)dæg, which is a translation of the Late Latin lūnae diēs, meaning “moon’s day.”

Monday is named after the moon thanks to the ancient Babylonians. The Babylonian civilization is the first one known to use a seven-day week. They named each of the seven days after planets and other celestial bodies. The two most visible ones got top billing, with the day we call Sunday being named after the sun and the day after—what we call Monday—being named after the moon. When the Romans adopted this model of naming the days for celestial bodies, they used their term for the moon, lūnae. (You can see this influence in the word for Monday in several languages—lunes in Spanish, lundi in French, and lunedi in Italian, for example.)

If you’re curious to know more about the history behind the word Monday, just read our article on the name’s fascinating origins.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to Monday?

  • Mondays (plural noun, adverb)
  • Mon (abbreviation)
  • Mon. (abbreviation)

What are some words that share a root or word element with Monday

What are some words that often get used in discussing Monday?

How is Monday used in real life?

In many places, Monday is the first day of the workweek. It has a reputation for being disliked due to being the first day back to work or school after the weekend.

Try using Monday!

Which celestial body is Monday named for?

A. the moon
B. the sun
C. Mars
D. Mercury

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