Tuesday
VIDEO FOR TUESDAY
Where Did The Days Of The Week Get Their Names?
We're here today to talk about how our favorite (and least favorite) days of the week got their names. Here are the real stories ...
Origin of Tuesday
how to pronounce Tuesday
Words nearby Tuesday
MORE ABOUT TUESDAY
What does Tuesday mean?
Tuesday is the weekday between Monday and Wednesday.
In much of North and South America, where most countries (including the U.S. and Canada) consider the calendar week to begin on Sunday, Tuesday is the third day of the week. (In other places, where the week is considered to begin on Saturday or Monday, Tuesday is the fourth or second day of the week.)
Regardless of when the week officially begins, in many places Tuesday is considered the second day of the workweek, the five-day span from Monday to Friday during which many people work (with Saturday and Sunday considered the weekend).
The word Tuesdays can be used as an adverb meaning every Tuesday or on Tuesdays, as in I work Tuesdays or Some restaurants are closed Mondays.
To indicate the general time of day during which something will happen on a Tuesday, the word can be followed by the general time, as in Tuesday morning, Tuesday afternoon, Tuesday evening, and Tuesday night.
Example: People hate Monday, but for me, the worst day of the week is Tuesday—it’s still days away from Friday without any of that recent weekend glow.
Where does Tuesday come from?
The first records of the word Tuesday come from before 1050. It comes from the Middle English tewesday, from the Old English Tīwes daeg, meaning “Tiu‘s day.” This is a translation of (or is modeled on) the Latin term diēs Mārtis, meaning “Mars’s day.” In Old English, the Roman god of war Mars was subbed out in favor of Tiu, the war god of Anglo-Saxon mythology (equivalent to the Norse god Tyr).
Tuesday is just one of the days of the week named after a mythological figure. Wednesday derives its name from Woden, chief god of Anglo-Saxon mythology (equivalent to the Norse Odin). Thursday is named for Thor, hammer-wielding god of thunder. Friday is thought to be named for love goddess Freya or chief goddess Frigg, wife of Odin. Saturday’s name comes from Saturn, Roman god of agriculture.
Tuesday is usually thought to be much less exciting than you might expect it to be for a day named after a god of war. Except of course for the most anticipated of all days: Taco Tuesday.
In years of U.S. presidential elections, many states hold the primary vote on the same day in March (or sometimes February), known as Super Tuesday.
In U.S. history, Tuesday, October 29, 1929, is known as Black Tuesday, the day of a stock market crash that is often thought of as the start of the Great Depression.
If you’re curious to know more about the history behind the word Tuesday, just read our article on the name’s fascinating origins.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to Tuesday?
- Tuesdays (plural noun, adverb)
- Tues (abbreviation)
- Tues. (abbreviation)
What are some words that share a root or word element with Tuesday?
What are some words that often get used in discussing Tuesday?
How is Tuesday used in real life?
People famously hate Mondays and love Fridays, but Tuesday doesn’t have such strong associations. It’s often considered a bit dull, except when it’s a Taco Tuesday.
It's Tuesday people…. Taco Tuesday….. This is everything we've been preparing for 🍴
— Andrea Russett (@AndreaRussett) April 28, 2015
Woke up thinking it was Tuesday. Pleasantly thrilled to realize it’s Thursday! Let’s gooooo Friday-Eve 🥸
— Marissa Brown (@MarissaJohanne) January 14, 2021
Statistically speaking Tuesday is the most boring day of the week. But we have the metal and Yorkshire tea 🤙🤙🤙🤘🤘🤘💯💯💯
— patrick dyde (@patrickdyde) December 8, 2020
Try using Tuesday!
Which mythological figure is Tuesday named for?
A. Odin
B. Ares
C. Jupiter
D. Tiu