Boxing Day

American

[bok-sing dey] / ˈbɒk sɪŋ ˌdeɪ /

noun

(in the United Kingdom and many other members of the Commonwealth of Nations) the day after Christmas.

Boxing Day British

noun

the first day (traditionally and strictly, the first weekday) after Christmas, observed as a holiday

"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

Etymology

Origin of Boxing Day

First recorded in 1825–35

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.

Much of Aceh already had to be reconstructed with international assistance after 2004's Boxing Day tsunami, which killed more than 170,000 people in the province alone.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

Amorim changed the system to four at the back for the victory over Newcastle on Boxing Day but reverted to a back three for subsequent games, including at Leeds.

From BBC • Jan. 4, 2026

Mr Abd El Fattah flew to the UK to be reunited with his 14-year old son in Brighton on Boxing Day, but social media posts originally made in 2012 quickly resurfaced.

From BBC • Jan. 4, 2026

A man whose wife and two children died in a Boxing Day fire has paid tribute to his "wonderful family".

From BBC • Jan. 1, 2026

Perhaps Lady Constance had secretly planned to declare Boxing Day a day off for the servants of Ashton Place.

From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023