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

Mills joined Radio 2's weekday schedule in 2022 when he replaced Steve Wright as the host of the afternoon show.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 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

He will have a weekday program and also handle breaking news coverage throughout the day.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

At lunchtime on a recent weekday, businesspeople in suits sat at white-tablecloth tables in the main dining room, where the walls are wrapped in cherry-wood wainscoting and heavy blue curtains frame the windows.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Most of the players came from single-parent families, and their mothers or fathers—usually mothers—stayed home on weekends to look after their other children, or else worked, because weekend shifts paid more than weekday shifts.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John