weekender: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

C1
UK/ˌwiːkˈendə/US/ˈwiːkˌendər/

Informal, slightly dated in some senses.

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Quick answer

What does “weekender” mean?

A person who takes short trips or holidays at the weekend, or a small bag suitable for such a trip.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A person who takes short trips or holidays at the weekend, or a small bag suitable for such a trip.

A secondary or holiday home used primarily on weekends; a person who engages in a hobby or activity chiefly on weekends (e.g., a weekend musician); a boat or vehicle designed for short recreational trips.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

In British English, 'weekender' most commonly refers to a small overnight bag. In American English, it more frequently refers to a person who takes weekend trips or a weekend cottage/home.

Connotations

UK: Practical, travel-related. US: Leisure, recreation, lifestyle.

Frequency

More frequent in US English, particularly in real estate and travel writing. In UK English, the bag sense is familiar but the term 'overnight bag' is more common.

Grammar

How to Use “weekender” in a Sentence

She is a regular weekender in the Cotswolds.They bought a weekender by the lake.He packed his weekender for the trip.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
small weekenderperfect weekendercoastal weekenderideal weekender
medium
fashionable weekenderrural weekenderpack a weekenderweekender bag
weak
modern weekenderpopular weekenderbuy a weekendercasual weekender

Examples

Examples of “weekender” in a Sentence

verb

British English

  • Not used as a verb.

American English

  • Not used as a verb.

adverb

British English

  • Not used as an adverb.

American English

  • Not used as an adverb.

adjective

British English

  • Not used as an adjective.

American English

  • Not used as an adjective.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Rare. Potentially in travel/tourism marketing (e.g., 'catering to the weekender market').

Academic

Very rare; not a technical term.

Everyday

Common in informal conversation about travel, leisure, and property.

Technical

Not used.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “weekender”

Strong

weekend bagweekend cottageweekend tripper

Neutral

overnight bag (UK)getawayshort-break traveller

Weak

duffel bagholiday homevisitor

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “weekender”

long-term residentcommutersuitcasepermanent home

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “weekender”

  • Using it as an adjective (*a weekender trip). Correct: a weekend trip. Confusing 'weekender' (noun) with 'weekend' (noun/verb/adjective).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is primarily used in informal or semi-formal contexts related to travel, leisure, and lifestyle.

Not typically. While 'weekend' can modify an event (e.g., a weekend festival), 'weekender' as a noun refers to a person, bag, or home.

In the UK, it's most associated with a bag. In the US, it's more commonly associated with a person who takes weekend trips or a weekend home.

It is reasonably common in specific contexts (travel, property) but is not a high-frequency everyday word for most speakers.

A person who takes short trips or holidays at the weekend, or a small bag suitable for such a trip.

Weekender: in British English it is pronounced /ˌwiːkˈendə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈwiːkˌendər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • Living for the weekend (related concept)

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: WEEKEND + ER = a person/thing for the weekend.

Conceptual Metaphor

TIME (WEEKEND) AS A DESTINATION or CONTAINER (The weekender goes to/towards the weekend).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
After a stressful week, the packed their bag and headed for their cottage by the sea.
Multiple Choice

In which context is 'weekender' LEAST likely to be used?