national holiday
Americannoun
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national holidays
plural
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a holiday that is observed throughout a nation.
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a holiday that is legally established by a national government rather than by a municipal or state government.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of national 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.
The airline's management has called the action "opportunistic" as it falls on a major national holiday weekend when airports are busy.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Temperatures were expected to remain high through France's Bastille Day national holiday on Tuesday, according to the Meteo-France weather service.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
A national holiday commemorating an independence-era battle, Wednesday had been cloudy and warm, topping 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Memorial Day officially became a federal national holiday in 1971, and is now part of a nationwide annual celebration that also serves as the unofficial beginning of summer.
From MarketWatch ● May 21, 2026
The fair prompted President Harrison to designate October 12 a national holiday, Columbus Day, which today serves to anchor a few thousand parades and a three-day weekend.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
