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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.

Another clerk gave out a strange notice on Quinquagesima Sunday with regard to the due observance of Ash Wednesday.

From The Parish Clerk by Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)

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 Secret Enemies of True Republicanism by Smolnikar, Andrew B.

Quinquagesima.—The name given to the Sunday next before Lent, because it is the fiftieth day before Easter; Quinquagesima meaning fiftieth.

From The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia by Miller, William James

The Sunday called Quinquagesima is read in the church the history of the holy patriarch Abraham which was the son of Terah.

From Bible Stories and Religious Classics by Wells, Philip P.

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

From Donahoe's Magazine, Volume XV, No. 3 Volume XV (Jan 1886-Jul 1886) by Various