public holiday

British

noun

a holiday observed over the whole country

"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.

Scots are to get a public holiday to mark the men's national team playing in its first World Cup since 1998.

From BBC

But on Saturday, a public holiday, the atmosphere in the capital appeared quiet, with streets mostly empty as the skies spat rain and snow, according to AFP journalists.

From Barron's

Schools, banks and public institutions were closed on Wednesday for a public holiday, with officials saying this was due to the cold weather and to save energy.

From Barron's

Christmas has been a public holiday in India since independence, along with Hindu, Muslim and Sikh holidays.

From The Wall Street Journal

Across the country, schools, universities and public institutions were closed because of the last-minute public holiday announced by the Iranian government.

From BBC

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