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Columbus Day

American

[kuh-luhm-buhs dey] / kəˈlʌm bəs ˌdeɪ /

noun

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 British

noun

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

"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 Columbus Day

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95

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.

The bond market was closed for Columbus Day.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025

Celebrated annually on the second Monday of October, Columbus Day is a federal holiday that honors the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.

From Barron's • Oct. 13, 2025

Originally known just as Columbus Day, the holiday, which has its roots going as far back as the 18th Century, honors the Italian explorer who arrived in America in 1492.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 10, 2025

More than 100 cities around the country have opted to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day over Columbus Day.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 6, 2025

There are, however, several good holidays: the weeks that include the Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Columbus Day.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

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