holiday
A1Formal and Informal. Neutral register in all contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A day of festivity or recreation when no work is done, often established by custom or law.
A period of time spent away from home or work for leisure, travel, or celebration; also used as a verb meaning to spend a holiday.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily countable, but can be used uncountably (e.g., 'She's on holiday'). The plural form can refer to multiple single days of celebration or a single extended period of vacation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'holiday' refers to both a single day off (e.g., bank holiday) and a longer period of leisure travel (a vacation). In American English, 'holiday' typically means a single day of celebration (like Thanksgiving), while 'vacation' is used for longer breaks.
Connotations
In BrE, 'holiday' is a neutral, all-purpose term. In AmE, 'holiday' has stronger connotations of national or religious celebration.
Frequency
In BrE, 'holiday' is far more frequent than 'vacation'. The reverse is true in AmE for the extended meaning of leisure travel.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
go on (a) holidaybe on holidaytake a holidayspend (a) holiday in/atholiday in/at (verb)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “holiday spirit”
- “a busman's holiday”
- “holiday of a lifetime”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in HR contexts: 'annual leave allowance', 'holiday entitlement', 'to be on holiday'.
Academic
Refers to scheduled breaks: 'university holidays', 'the Christmas holiday'.
Everyday
Most common usage: discussing travel plans, days off work/school.
Technical
In legal/contractual contexts specifying paid time off.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They holiday in Cornwall every summer.
- We're holidaying abroad this year.
American English
- They vacation in Maine every summer.
- We're vacationing abroad this year.
adverb
British English
- (Rare. Usually part of a compound like 'holiday-let').
American English
- (Rare. Typically not used.)
adjective
British English
- The holiday traffic was terrible.
- We booked a holiday cottage.
American English
- The holiday traffic was terrible.
- We booked a vacation rental.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Monday is a public holiday.
- We have a holiday in July.
- Happy holiday!
- I'm going on holiday to Italy next week.
- What are your plans for the summer holidays?
- Do you get paid holiday at your job?
- Despite the bank holiday, the office will remain open for essential staff.
- They decided to holiday locally to reduce their carbon footprint.
- The holiday entitlement increases with length of service.
- His idea of a perfect holiday is a busman's holiday, combining his passion for hiking with leading guided tours.
- The legislation guarantees a minimum of twenty days' paid holiday per annum.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'HOLIday' as a 'HOLLY' day – a festive day often decorated with holly (like Christmas), or a day to be 'holy' and not work.
Conceptual Metaphor
HOLIDAY IS A CONTAINER (We 'go on' a holiday, we 'are in' holiday mode). HOLIDAY IS A RESTORATIVE SUBSTANCE (I need a holiday to recharge).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not directly translate 'holiday' as 'праздник' for a vacation. A Russian 'отпуск' is a BrE 'holiday' or AmE 'vacation'.
- Avoid using 'holiday' as a direct equivalent for the Russian 'каникулы' for school breaks; 'school holidays' or 'break' is better.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I had a holiday in Spain for two weeks.' (Correct in BrE, but in AmE prefer 'vacation').
- Incorrect: 'We are in holiday.' (Correct: 'We are on holiday.')
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is the sentence 'I'm on holiday next week' most natural for referring to a planned week off work?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English, 'holiday' is the general term for time off from work or school, whether a single day or a longer period. 'Vacation' is also understood but is less common and can sound formal or American. In American English, 'holiday' refers specifically to a day of celebration (e.g., Christmas, Independence Day), while 'vacation' is used for longer leisure trips or time off work.
Yes, particularly in British English (e.g., 'They holiday in France'). In American English, 'vacation' is the preferred verb (e.g., 'They vacation in Florida'). The verb form is more common in informal or written contexts than in formal American speech.
The correct prepositional phrase is 'on holiday' (BrE) or 'on vacation' (AmE). Saying 'in holiday' is incorrect. You can also use 'for a holiday' (e.g., 'I went to Spain for a holiday').
A 'bank holiday' is a public holiday in the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth countries, on which banks and many businesses are closed. The term originates from the days when banks were shut, suspending financial transactions. Examples include Easter Monday and the late May Spring Bank Holiday.
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