bank holiday
Americannoun
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a weekday on which banks are closed by law; legal holiday.
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British. a secular day on which banks are closed, obligations then falling due being performable on the following secular day.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bank holiday
First recorded in 1870–75
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.
Liberal Democrat MP Will Forster asked Sir Keir if his last act would be to declare a bank holiday if England wins the World Cup.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
They have agreed a two year pay deal that includes a 5% increase in basic pay, shift allowances backdated to 1 January, and a one-off bank holiday.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
It reported that "over one billion litres of extra water were used over the bank holiday weekend compared to the same weekend in 2025".
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
People have been urged to stay away from a flooded quarry where the water has a pH level "comparable to bleach", following a surge in visitors over the bank holiday weekend.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
It was rather like part of an English bank holiday.
From Simon Called Peter by Keable, Robert
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.
