weekday: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighNeutral (common in formal and informal contexts)
Quick answer
What does “weekday” mean?
any day of the week that is not a Saturday or Sunday.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
any day of the week that is not a Saturday or Sunday; a day of work or routine.
A day within the Monday-Friday period, typically associated with regular work, school, or business operations, as opposed to the weekend or holidays.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in definition or usage.
Connotations
Neutral, factual term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “weekday” in a Sentence
Noun + preposition 'on' (on a weekday)Adjective + weekday (busy weekday)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “weekday” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- weekday traffic
- weekday services
American English
- weekday hours
- weekday schedule
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to standard operational days, e.g., 'Weekday delivery hours are 9-5.'
Academic
Used in schedules and timetables, e.g., 'Lectures are held on weekdays.'
Everyday
Common in planning and conversation, e.g., 'Let's meet on a weekday.'
Technical
Used in logistics, transport, and service industry scheduling.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “weekday”
- Using 'weekday' to include Saturday (e.g., 'The shop is open on weekdays and Saturday').
- Confusing 'weekday' (noun) with the adjective 'weekly'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in most Western contexts, Monday through Friday are considered weekdays.
Yes, e.g., 'weekday schedule' or 'weekday traffic'. It functions as a noun modifier.
'Weekday' refers to the day (Mon-Fri). 'Workday' can mean the same but can also refer specifically to the hours one works in a day, or a day one is scheduled to work (which could be a Saturday for some).
No. Although they fall on a Monday-Friday, public holidays are exceptions and are not typically referred to as 'weekdays' in the sense of normal routine days.
any day of the week that is not a Saturday or Sunday.
Weekday is usually neutral (common in formal and informal contexts) in register.
Weekday: in British English it is pronounced /ˈwiːkdeɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈwiːkdeɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Like a weekday (used to describe something ordinary or routine)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the WEEk splitting into two parts: the WEEK-DAYs (for work) and the WEEK-END (for rest).
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RESOURCE (weekdays are for spending time productively).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT typically a weekday?