Easter

[ ee-ster ]
/ ˈi stər /

noun

an annual Christian festival in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox, as calculated according to tables based in Western churches on the Gregorian calendar and in Orthodox churches on the Julian calendar.
Also called Easter Sunday. the day on which this festival is celebrated.
the Easter season; the week following Easter.

Origin of Easter

before 900; Middle English ester, Old English ēastre; cognate with German Ostern; orig. name of a goddess and her festival; akin to east

OTHER WORDS FROM Easter

post-Eas·ter, adjective pre-Eas·ter, noun

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Example sentences from the Web for easter

British Dictionary definitions for easter

Easter
/ (ˈiːstə) /

noun

the most important festival of the Christian Church, commemorating the Resurrection of Christ: falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox
Also called: Easter Sunday, Easter Day the day on which this festival is celebrated
the period between Good Friday and Easter Monday

Other words from Easter

Related adjective: paschal

Word Origin for Easter

Old English ēastre, after a Germanic goddess Eostre; related to Old High German ōstarūn Easter, Old Norse austr to the east, Old Slavonic ustru like summer

Cultural definitions for easter

Easter

An important religious festival among Christians (see also Christian); it commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus after his Crucifixion. Easter is celebrated on a Sunday in spring, and the season of Easter, a time of rejoicing, continues for several weeks. The penitential season of Lent is a time of preparation for Easter.