lord's day
C1-C2Formal, Religious
Definition
Meaning
A proper noun primarily referring to Sunday, observed by many Christians as the weekly day of worship commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Can refer more broadly to any day considered holy in Christian tradition, but this is archaic. In secular historical or literary contexts, it may be used to denote a day of solemn religious observance.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always capitalized. It is a term specific to Christian tradition and theology, carrying doctrinal significance about the day's purpose. Its use outside of religious contexts is rare and often marks formal, historical, or literary discourse.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Usage is determined more by religious tradition than nationality. Some US evangelical groups may use it slightly more frequently.
Connotations
Connotes tradition, observance, and reverence in both varieties. In the UK, it may have a stronger historical association with former Sabbath laws.
Frequency
Low frequency in general language, but common in religious publications, sermons, and among practising Christians in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
observe + [Lord's Day]keep + [Lord's Day] + adjectiveon + [Lord's Day]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Make every day a Lord's Day.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in theological, historical, or religious studies contexts.
Everyday
Rare, except among devout Christians discussing religious practice.
Technical
A technical term in Christian liturgy and doctrine.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We should properly honour the Lord's Day.
American English
- The congregation gathers to observe the Lord's Day.
adjective
British English
- The Lord's Day observance was a quiet affair.
American English
- They attended the Lord's Day service.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We go to church on the Lord's Day.
- For many Christians, the Lord's Day is the most important day of the week.
- The pastor's sermon focused on the true meaning of keeping the Lord's Day holy.
- The shift from the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Lord's Day was a significant development in early church history.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember: 'Lord' is the boss. The 'Lord's Day' is the day belonging to the boss (God), set aside for him.
Conceptual Metaphor
DAY IS A HOLY CONTAINER (a day that contains and is dedicated to sacred activities).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as "день лорда" – this is incorrect and sounds like a feudal title. The correct equivalent is "воскресенье" in the secular sense, or "день Господень" in the religious sense.
- Avoid confusing it with "Суббота" (Saturday), which is the Sabbath for Jews and some Christian denominations like Seventh-day Adventists.
Common Mistakes
- Writing it in lowercase ('lord's day').
- Using it as a general term for any holiday (e.g., 'Christmas is a Lord's Day').
- Confusing it with 'Sabbath', which can refer to Saturday.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'Lord's Day' MOST appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
For most mainstream Christians, yes, it is considered the Christian Sabbath, observed on Sunday. However, for Jews and some Christian groups (e.g., Seventh-day Adventists), the Sabbath is Saturday.
It is very rare. Its use is almost exclusively religious. In a secular context, 'Sunday' is the appropriate term.
Because 'Lord's' is a possessive form of a title for God (a proper noun), similar to 'God's' or 'Christ's'. Capitalization shows respect and marks its specific religious reference.
It comes from the New Testament's Book of Revelation (Revelation 1:10), where the author John says he was 'in the Spirit on the Lord's day.' Early Christians adopted this to refer to the first day of the week, the day of Jesus's resurrection.