Eid
Americannoun
Usage
What is Eid? Eid is a short name for two different major Islamic festivals that occur at different times—Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Both are commonly referred to as Eid for short, and the greeting Eid Mubarak (roughly meaning “Happy Eid” or “Blessed Eid”) can be used for both. Eid al-FitrEid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which many Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset each day. Eid al-fitr begins the day after Ramadan ends. Its name means “festival of the breaking of the fast.” It is traditionally marked with a special meal—which for many Muslims is the first daytime meal they’ve eaten in a month. Along with the Eid al-Fitr feast, many Muslims observe the day by getting dressed up, decorating their homes, gathering with family and friends, attending services at their mosque, and making charitable donations. Eid al-Fitr is sometimes spelled Eid-ul-Fitr. Eid al-AdhaEid al-Adha is a four-day festival that commemorates the story of Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael (Ishmael) when Allah commanded him to. When Ibrahim showed that he would obey, Allah provided a sheep for Ibrahim to sacrifice instead. For this reason, Eid al-Adha traditionally involves sacrificing a sheep or goat. The meat is then divided among family, friends, and those in need. Many Muslims observe the festival by dressing up, attending services at their mosque, gathering with family and friends, exchanging gifts, and making charitable donations. Eid al-Adha occurs on the last day of Hajj, a pilgrimage that Muslims are obligated to undertake once in their lives. Eid al-Adha can also be spelled ʾId al-Adha or Eid-ul-Adha. It is sometimes called Big Eid, the Festival of Sacrifice, and the Great Festival.
Etymology
Origin of Eid
First recorded in 1695–1700; from Arabic ʿīd “festival, feast,” from Aramaic ʿed “day of assembly, feast day, festival”
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.
He told me that during his childhood, Eid prayers were sometimes held in hotel ballrooms because mosques were too few and too small.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
Wearing sunglasses and dressed with care, Burin resident Qusai Walid Eid summarises the feeling, saying he attends the festival every year to strengthen "our roots in this land".
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
That Mamdani melded Premier League and Eid al-Adha celebrations with a custom kurta begs one question - what will his celebrations look like if Arsenal win the Champions League?
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
The streets were busy with shoppers who had broken their fasts ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026
This year, for the first time, Mariam saw with her eyes the Eid of her childhood imaginings.
From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
