red-letter day
noun
a memorably important or happy occasion
Word Origin for red-letter day
C18: from the red letters used in ecclesiastical calendars to indicate saints' days and feasts
Words nearby red-letter day
red-hot poker,
red-lead ore,
red-lead putty,
red-legged partridge,
red-letter,
red-letter day,
red-light,
red-light district,
red-osier dogwood,
red-pencil,
red-short
Example sentences from the Web for red-letter day
The expected rarely happened, and peace was oftener than not the characteristic of the prophets' red-letter-day.
The Siege of Kimberley |T. PhelanWhat a red-letter-day it is to a boy, the day he first opens “Tom Sawyer.”
A Collection of Stories, Reviews and Essays |Willa Cather
Cultural definitions for red-letter day
red-letter day
A special or memorable day; the expression refers to the old custom of printing holidays in red on calendars: “John got promoted and engaged to be married yesterday; it was truly a red-letter day for him.”
Idioms and Phrases with red-letter day
red-letter day
A special occasion, as in When Jack comes home from his tour of duty, that'll be a red-letter day. This term alludes to the practice of marking feast days and other holy days in red on church calendars, dating from the 1400s. [c. 1700]