weekday

American  

[week-dey] / ˈwikˌdeɪ /

noun

1. any day of the week except Sunday or, often, Saturday and Sunday.

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adjective

1. of or on a weekday.

   weekday occupations.

weekday British  

/ ˈwiːkˌdeɪ /

noun

1. any day of the week other than Sunday and, often, Saturday

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Usage

What is a weekday? A weekday is any day that is not a weekend day. Since the weekend is considered to consist of Saturday and Sunday, the weekdays are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. (Even though Friday evening is sometimes considered the start of the weekend, Friday is still considered a weekday.)The evenings of weekdays are called weeknights. The word week most commonly refers to any period of seven consecutive days, or to the seven-day period on the calendar that begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. However, in weekday and weeknight, it refers to the five-day period that’s often considered the workweek or school week. The standard workweek is from Monday through Friday, though working schedules vary widely. Days of the workweek can be called workdays. Weekdays are usually (but not always) workdays or school days. For this reason, terms like weekday and weeknight are typically used—instead of just saying day or night—to distinguish them from the days and nights on the weekend. The word weekdays can be used as an adverb meaning on weekdays—Monday through Friday. The word weekends can be used as an adverb in the same way, as in We’re open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but we’re closed weekends. Example: I don’t usually like to be out so late on a weekday, but I couldn’t miss this!

Etymology

Origin of weekday

before 900; Middle English; Old English wicdæg. See week, day

Example Sentences

“Lilias, Yoga and You” aired on weekday mornings before “Sesame Street,” thus easily catching the attention of stay-at-home moms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Photographers and video crews were stationed outside the street level studio in Rockefeller Plaza where the program airs live each weekday.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Mills moved to Radio 2 to take over the weekday afternoon slot from Steve Wright in 2022, marking the end of an era for many listeners.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

The Today show is something of a US institution, airing nationally since 1952 and drawing millions of viewers to NBC on weekday mornings.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

I loved the quietness that fell as shops and businesses closed, a welcome respite from the weekday routines.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson