Roman holiday
Americannoun
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a public spectacle or controversy marked by barbarism, vindictiveness, or scandal.
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pleasure or advantage gained from the discomfort or suffering of others.
noun
Etymology
Origin of Roman holiday
First recorded in 1885–90
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.
In the past, Italy away was something of a Roman holiday for England in the Six Nations.
From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026
Kim Kardashian is making a number of sartorial statements during her Roman holiday.
From Fox News • Jul. 1, 2021
On my Roman holiday my guide was a dead man of incomparable erudition and wit: the late Australian art critic Robert Hughes.
From Washington Post • Aug. 28, 2019
“It’s hot and it’s less productive to work in this time of year,” said William Broussen, a 24-year-old Parisian contractor who is suffering through a heat wave called Lucifer on his Roman holiday.
From New York Times • Aug. 9, 2017
My Roman holiday came to an end in the summer of the year 1851, and my return to my home and friends became imperative.
From Reminiscences, 1819-1899 by Howe, Julia Ward
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.
