Synonyms

legal holiday

American

noun

a public holiday established by law, during which certain work, government business, etc., is restricted.

legal holiday British

noun

Also called (Canadian): statutory holiday. Brit equivalent: bank holiday. any of several weekdays which are observed as national holidays

"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 legal holiday

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

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.

See Examples For:

legal holiday

In 1984, President Cleveland signed a congressional act establishing the first Monday of September as a legal holiday, which has become known for promotional sales as well as a day off for many.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

North Dakota was one of the last to recognize Juneteenth, passing in June 2021 a ceremonial Juneteenth observance rather than a state legal holiday.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 19, 2022

President Ronald Regan signed Dr. King’s birthday into federal law in 1983, but by 1990, Montana, New Hampshire and Arizona still had not made the day a legal holiday.

From New York Times ● Jun. 18, 2022

The date became a legal holiday in 1879, and was later included in the Monday Holiday Law — which created the three-day weekend holiday — in 1968.

From Washington Times ● Feb. 20, 2022

In course of time Washington's Birthday was made a legal holiday in one State after another, until to-day it is legally recognized in every State but Alabama.

From Washington's Birthday by Robert Haven Schauffler

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