Saturday

noun

Sat·​ur·​day ˈsa-tər-(ˌ)dā How to pronounce Saturday (audio)
-dē
: the seventh day of the week
Saturdays
ˈsa-tər-(ˌ)dāz How to pronounce Saturday (audio) -dēz How to pronounce Saturday (audio)
adverb

Examples of Saturday in a Sentence

He will arrive next Saturday. His birthday falls on a Saturday this year.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sign up to receive stories like this one in your inbox every Saturday. — Justin Elliott, ProPublica, 2 July 2026 An Apple Valley woman who was pregnant with twins died in a crash Saturday. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026 Fireworks won’t be the only thing lighting up the sky Saturday evening across the United States. — Ben Noll, Washington Post, 2 July 2026 Luka Dončić got traded at midnight on a random Saturday in February. — David Aldridge, New York Times, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for Saturday

Word History

Etymology

Middle English saterday, from Old English sæterndæg (akin to Old Frisian sāterdei), from Latin Saturnus Saturn + Old English dæg day

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Saturday was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing Saturday

Browse Nearby Words

saturator
Saturday
Saturday night special
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Saturday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Saturday. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Saturday

noun
Sat·​ur·​day ˈsat-ərd-ē How to pronounce Saturday (audio)
: the seventh day of the week
Etymology

Old English sæterndæg, literally, "Saturn's day," derived from Latin Saturnus "Saturn"

Word Origin
Several of the days of the week, such as Tuesday and Wednesday, get their English names from Germanic gods, but Saturday gets its name from a Roman one. Saturnus was the name of an important Roman god of agriculture, known in English as Saturn. The Old English word sæterndæg, "Saturn's day," came originally from the god's Latin name. The modern English Saturday comes from the Old English sæterndæg.
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