weekend

The weekend is most commonly considered the period between Friday evening and the end of Sunday.

More strictly speaking, the weekend is thought to consist of Saturday and Sunday (often regardless of whether the calendar week is considered to begin on Sunday or Monday).

In practical terms, the weekend is typically considered to be the period between the end of the workweek (or school week) and the beginning of a new one—which is why most people consider their weekend to start on Friday night, after work or school.

Of course, not everyone works a Monday-to-Friday schedule. A person who normally works on the weekend (on Saturday and Sunday) will probably consider any two-day stretch that they don’t have to work as their weekend.

Any additional days off on either side of a weekend are often considered part of the weekend. For example, a day off for a holiday on Friday or Monday will result in a three-day weekend. Or you could take off on Monday and Tuesday for a long weekend.

Weekend can also be used as an adjective in reference to something that happens on a weekend (as in a weekend session), lasts only for a weekend (as in a weekend trip), or only applies during a weekend (as in weekend hours).

Much less commonly, weekend can be used as a verb meaning to spend a weekend somewhere, as in We like to weekend in the Hamptons. This sense can sound a bit fancy or even pretentious (the same thing can be said about summer when it’s used as a verb).

The word weekends can be used as an adverb meaning every weekend or on or during weekends, as in I work weekends, so I always miss my son’s Saturday games.

Example: I spent the weekend at the beach, but now I have to go back to work.

The word weekend has been in use in some form since at least the 1600s. There are no commonly used words to refer to the beginning of the week, but the word midweek refers to the middle of the week, roughly from Tuesday morning to Thursday night.

It may be a matter of debate when the week actually ends—is it Saturday night? Sunday night? But most people consider their workweek to end when they finish working on Friday. And as soon as they stop working, that’s usually when the weekend is thought to begin.

The weekend is usually thought of as a time for rest, relaxation, leisure activities, and otherwise doing whatever you want to do. Common questions on Monday morning include “How was your weekend?” and “What did you do this weekend?”

What are some other forms related to weekend? 

• weekends (plural noun, present tense verb, adverb)
• weekended (past tense verb)
• weekending (continuous tense verb)

What are some words that share a root or word element with weekend? 

• weekend warrior
• weekender
• midweek
• weekday
• week
• end
• year-end

What are some words that often get used in discussing weekend?

• Friday
• Saturday
• Sunday
• relaxing
• long
• trip
• work
• three-day

The word weekend is usually associated with fun and relaxation due to being a period of free time when people can do the things they want to do (as opposed to having to work). For this reason, most people look forward to the weekend.

Everyone have a great weekend

— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) November 4, 2016

Happy Monday! Here’s my puppy hiking Red Rock Canyon from Saturday. How was your weekend? pic.twitter.com/moLiYGkQ2O

— Josh Helmuth KRDO (@Jhelmuth) September 21, 2020

Anybody wanna plan a weekend trip to Chicago? I’m just trying to eat and go to the museum lol

— Cheyane (@cheyanelaneigh_) September 18, 2020

True or False? 

The weekend is only ever thought to consist of Saturday and Sunday.