Ash Wednesday

American  

noun

1. the first day of Lent.

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Ash Wednesday British  

noun

1. the first day of Lent, named from the practice of Christians of placing ashes on their heads as a sign of penitence

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Ash Wednesday Cultural  

1. The seventh Wednesday before Easter; the first day of Lent for most Christians (see also Christian); the day after “Fat Tuesday,” or Mardi Gras. It is frequently observed as a day of fasting and repentance for sin. In some churches, ashes are placed on the foreheads of worshipers on Ash Wednesday as a reminder of their mortality. The words of God to Adam in the Bible (see also Bible) are often used in the ceremony: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

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Usage

What is Ash Wednesday? Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the season of fasting and penitence that precedes Easter in some branches of Christianity. Ash Wednesday gets its name from the tradition of placing ashes on worshippers’ foreheads as a sign of penitence and a reminder of their mortality.

Etymology

Origin of Ash Wednesday

First recorded in 1250–1300

Example Sentences

I find one of the pleasures of the Ash Wednesday Mass each year is watching the pastor’s attempts to reconcile the Gospel lesson with the distribution of ashes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period in which Christians prepare for Easter.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2025

Last week, Francis coughed repeatedly as he presided over Ash Wednesday services at a Roman church, and opted not to participate in the traditional procession that inaugurates the church’s Lenten season.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 1, 2024

For example, when Ash Wednesday and Lunar New Year fell on the same day in 2005.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2024

First the man was Father Amadi, his soutane flying behind him, then it was Papa, in the floor-length gray sack he wore when he distributed ash on Ash Wednesday.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie