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, nounExample 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: paschalWord 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.