Holy Innocents' Day

American

noun

December 28, a day of religious observance commemorating the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem by Herod's order.

Holy Innocents' Day British

noun

Dec 28, a day commemorating the massacre of male children at Bethlehem by Herod's order (Matthew 2:16); Childermas

"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

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.

"Yes, that may well be so, but I died on Holy Innocents' Day," said Kalle Kula, "so at least I may look in and see the innocent children?"

From Project Gutenberg

The Confessor's Church as you will remember was consecrated on Childermas, the Holy Innocents' Day.

From Project Gutenberg

Specimens of the sermons preached on Holy Innocents' Day have come down to us from the reigns of Henry VIII. and Mary, and are of extreme interest.

From Project Gutenberg

I must give you a little specimen of Ælfric's writing, a piece taken from his beautiful homily on Holy Innocents' Day.

From Project Gutenberg

The devil's passing-bell tolls on Christmas Eve from the church tower at Dewsbury, and a muffled peal bewails the slaughter of the children on Holy Innocents' Day.

From Project Gutenberg

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