national holiday
Americannoun
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national holidays
plural
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a holiday that is observed throughout a nation.
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a holiday that is legally established by a national government rather than by a municipal or state government.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of national holiday
An Americanism dating back to 1865–70
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 2014, his birthday was made a national holiday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
The date 4 July is apparently a favourite national holiday of Swift's, which she has previously celebrated by throwing big parties.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
The streets of Paraguay erupted Monday as people rejoiced in beating powerhouse Germany in the World Cup and the president declared a national holiday.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Some nations might have declared a national holiday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
If he’d been listening to the radio more regularly, he would have realized Friday was a national holiday and prepared for the possibility of no food line.
From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
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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.