bank holiday
B2Formal (official), Neutral (general conversation)
Definition
Meaning
A weekday which is a public holiday, typically when banks and many businesses are closed by law.
An official public holiday, especially in the UK and Ireland, designated by statute. In broader, sometimes informal usage, it can refer to any long weekend or non-working public holiday.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A fixed compound noun. In the UK, refers specifically to public holidays created under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971. It does not refer to a holiday taken by a banker.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'bank holiday' is the standard term for most public holidays (e.g., Easter Monday, August Bank Holiday). In the US, 'bank holiday' is a dated term from the Great Depression era for emergency bank closures, and is not used for regular public holidays (which are called 'federal holidays' or 'public holidays').
Connotations
UK: A welcome day off, associated with leisure, travel, and potential bad weather. US: Primarily historical/economic crisis connotations (e.g., the 1933 Bank Holiday).
Frequency
High frequency in UK English; very low frequency in modern US English for its contemporary meaning.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [DATE] is a bank holiday.We are closed for the bank holiday.They declared a bank holiday.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Make hay while the sun shines on a bank holiday.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Notices: 'Our offices will be closed on Monday for the bank holiday.'
Academic
Historical analysis: 'The introduction of bank holidays in 1871 reflected changing labor laws.'
Everyday
Plans: 'What are you doing for the bank holiday weekend?'
Technical
Legal/HR: 'Entitlement to bank holiday pay is outlined in your contract.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A for this noun.
American English
- N/A for this noun.
adverb
British English
- N/A for this noun.
American English
- N/A for this noun.
adjective
British English
- bank-holiday traffic
- a bank-holiday weekend
American English
- N/A in contemporary usage.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The shop is closed. It is a bank holiday.
- Is Monday a bank holiday?
- We have a day off next Monday because it's a bank holiday.
- The museum is free on bank holidays.
- Due to the spring bank holiday, all deliveries will be delayed until Tuesday.
- They're planning to go away for the long bank holiday weekend.
- The government's decision to create an additional bank holiday was met with mixed reactions from small businesses.
- Statutory entitlement to paid leave on bank holidays varies depending on one's employment contract.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BANK (the institution) taking a HOLIDAY (a day off). When the bank is legally closed, so are many other businesses, making it a public holiday.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RESOURCE (a 'day' granted by the state); THE STATE IS A BANK (it 'banks' or designates these days).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите как "банковский отпуск". Это не отпуск сотрудника банка.
- Ближайший эквивалент — "государственный праздник" или "официальный выходной день".
- Избегайте кальки "праздник банка".
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (*'We will bank holiday next Monday').
- In US context, using it to mean a regular modern public holiday.
- Misspelling as 'bank-holiday' (hyphenated form is less common).
Practice
Quiz
In which country is the term 'bank holiday' commonly used to refer to standard public holidays?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost all common public holidays are, except for Christmas Day and Good Friday, which are traditional common law holidays. However, 'bank holiday' is used colloquially for all of them.
There is no automatic legal right to paid leave on bank holidays in the UK. It depends on the terms of an individual's employment contract.
A 'federal holiday' (e.g., Memorial Day, Labor Day). The term 'bank holiday' has a different, historical meaning in the US.
It originates from the UK Bank Holidays Act of 1871, which designated days when banks were legally closed, effectively creating public holidays as banks were central to commerce.