Wednesday

noun

Wednes·​day ˈwenz-(ˌ)dā How to pronounce Wednesday (audio) -dē How to pronounce Wednesday (audio)
British also ˈwe-dᵊnz-
: the fourth day of the week
Wednesdays
ˈwenz-(ˌ)dāz How to pronounce Wednesday (audio) -dēz How to pronounce Wednesday (audio)
British also ˈwe-dᵊnz-
adverb

Examples of Wednesday in a Sentence

I had lunch with her last Wednesday. I'll be seeing her again next Wednesday. My birthday falls on a Wednesday this year. Next week I'll arrive on Wednesday and leave on Friday. I will arrive on Wednesday morning.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English wōdnesdæg (akin to Old Norse ōthinsdagr Wednesday); akin to Old English Wōden Odin and dæg day

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Phrases Containing Wednesday

Browse Nearby Words

wedlock
Wednesday
Wednesdays
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wednesday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Wednesday. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Wednesday

noun
Wednes·​day ˈwenz-dē How to pronounce Wednesday (audio)
: the fourth day of the week
Etymology

Old English wōdnesdæg, literally, "Woden's day"

Word Origin
Many gods were worshipped by the Germanic people who lived in northern Europe in ancient times. The chief of all the Germanic gods was one who is now usually called Odin. His name in Old English was Woden, and the fourth day of the week was called wōdnesdæg, "day of Woden," or "Woden's day" in his honor. The Old English wōdnesdæg eventually became the Modern English Wednesday.
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