Columbus Day

[kuh-luhm-buhs dey]

noun

1. the second Monday in October, a U.S. legal holiday observed in many states in honor of the landing of Columbus in the West Indies on October 12, 1492: Columbus is traditionally considered the discoverer of America, though he was not the first European to reach the New World.

Columbus Day

noun

1. Oct 12, a legal holiday in most states of the US: the date of Columbus' landing in the West Indies (Caribbean) in 1492

Word History and Origins

Origin of Columbus Day¹

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95

Example Sentences

The bond market was closed for Columbus Day.

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GOP lawmakers have even proposed legislation to penalize municipalities that dropped Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

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Bond markets are closed Monday for the Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day break.

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Columbus Day has arrived, offering traders a moment of reprieve from the tumultuous news cycle—but not everyone will catch a break.

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Americans will observe Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, a day that has become a lightning rod of controversy.

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