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Quinquagesima

American  
[kwing-kwuh-jes-uh-muh, kwin-] / ˌkwɪŋ kwəˈdʒɛs ə mə, ˌkwɪn- /

noun

  1. the Sunday before Lent; Shrove Sunday.


Quinquagesima British  
/ ˌkwɪŋkwəˈdʒɛsɪmə /

noun

  1. Also called: Quinquagesima Sunday.  the Sunday preceding Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent

"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

Usage

What is Quinquagesima? Quinquagesima is another name for Shrove Sunday, the Sunday before Ash Wednesday and the first of the three days of Shrovetide.Shrovetide is the three-day period before the beginning of Lent, which is the season of fasting and penitence that precedes Easter. Shrovetide starts on Quinquagesima and is followed by Shrove Monday and Shrove Tuesday.Quinquagesima is sometimes called Quinquagesima Sunday.

Other Word Forms

  • Quinquagesimal adjective

Etymology

Origin of Quinquagesima

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin, short for Latin quīnquāgēsima diēs fiftieth day

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.

I saw it on Quinquagesima Sunday, when the devotion of the Forty Hours was in progress.

From Project Gutenberg

In most Roman Catholic countries it begins with Quinquagesima Sunday, the Sunday before Lent.

From Project Gutenberg

Pre-Lenten Season.—The name commonly given to the weeks preceding Lent covered by the three Sundays entitled, Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima.

From Project Gutenberg

Quinquagesima / \ seven / Quadragesima | | six | Rogation Sunday | | five weeks | Ascension-day \ is / forty days \ after Easter.

From Project Gutenberg

On Wednesday before Easter the man who was excommunicated on Sunday Quinquagesima from our congregation, came to me after having separated from the woman with whom he was not married.

From Project Gutenberg