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weeknight
/ ˈwiːkˌnaɪt /
noun
- the evening or night of a weekday
Word History and Origins
Origin of weeknight1
Example Sentences
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" airs every weeknight at 11:35 p.m.
"The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" airs weeknights at 7 p.m.
On a recent weeknight she parked outside her mom’s apartment.
For a comic who once struggled to sell tickets for weeknight shows at big-city comedy clubs, the rush of fame over the last couple of years feels surreal.
Now she has a weeknight broadcast network gig, “After Midnight,” following “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
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More About Weeknight
What is a weeknight?
A weeknight is the evening of a weekday—any day that is not a weekend day.
Since the weekend is considered to consist of Saturday and Sunday, the weekdays are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
The word week most commonly refers to any period of seven consecutive days, or to the seven-day period on the calendar that begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. However, in weekday and weeknight, it refers to the five-day period that’s often considered the workweek or school week. The standard workweek is from Monday through Friday, though working schedules vary widely.
For this reason, terms like weekday and weeknight are typically used—instead of just saying day or night—to distinguish them from the days and nights on the weekend.
The similar terms work night and school night refer to nights when a person has to work or go to school the next day. Weeknight doesn’t necessarily imply this, but most people are probably less likely to call Friday night a weeknight since Friday evening is often considered the start of the weekend (though Friday is still considered a weekday.)
Weeknight is commonly used as an adjective, as in weeknight dinner.
The word weeknights can be used as an adverb meaning on weeknights, as in I work weeknights, but I’m free weekends.
Example: I don’t usually like to be out so late on a weeknight, but I couldn’t miss this!
Where does weeknight come from?
The first records of the word weeknight come from around the 1700s. The word weekday is much older, first recorded before the 900s.
Many people spend their weekend nights going out, spending time with friends, and staying up later. In contrast, weeknights are often work nights or school nights, when people tend to go to sleep earlier. This is what people are referring to when they say they’re out late for a weeknight.
The word weeknight should not be confused with a wee knight, which is a very small knight whose shining armor is probably too heavy for the little guy! (Good luck not thinking about this every time you see the word weeknight now.)
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to weeknight?
- weeknights (plural noun, adverb)
What are some words that share a root or word element with weeknight?
What are some words that often get used in discussing weeknight?
How is weeknight used in real life?
The word weeknight is typically used to distinguish a night as being one during the workweek as opposed to one on the weekend.
Here are the go-to dishes that our editors cook on weeknights when there isn't much time: https://t.co/s33Rb0nTrh pic.twitter.com/rwgk9Osm99
— Food52 (@Food52) December 16, 2015
Staying up late on a weeknight makes me feel so nostalgic.
— Jenn Im (@imjennim) August 17, 2016
My weekly 7mile walks are slowly starting to pay off with weight-loss. With the park being open weeknights and typically slow, I hope to go over and take a walk each night.
— Chris Cronrath #BLM (@Ccron10) December 7, 2020
Try using weeknight!
True or False?
Tuesday night is a weeknight.
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