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Synonyms

bank holiday

American  

noun

  • bank holidays
    plural
  1. a weekday on which banks are closed by law; legal holiday.

  2. British. a secular day on which banks are closed, obligations then falling due being performable on the following secular day.


bank holiday British  

noun

  1. (in Britain) any of several weekdays on which banks are closed by law and which are observed as national holidays

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of bank holiday

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Across the bank holiday weekend, more than two million people were expected to join in the celebrations, featuring thousands of parade performers in sequins, feathers and bejewelled headpieces.

From BBC Aug. 31, 2026

When this event was announced, it was the prime event of the August bank holiday weekend in British boxing.

From BBC Aug. 29, 2026

If that is the case, England still have more than enough time to wrap up victory over the bank holiday weekend.

From BBC Aug. 28, 2026

Most of the UK is finally getting some rain, in time for the bank holiday weekend.

From BBC Aug. 28, 2026

It was rather like part of an English bank holiday.

From Simon Called Peter by Robert Keable

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