Dictionary

Ash Wednesday en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /æʃ wɛnz.dɛɪ/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English Aschewednysday, Axwednesdai, from asshe, axe (“ash”) + Wednesdai, Wednysday (“Wednesday”), from the custom of using the blessed ashes of the previous year's palm fronds (cf. Palm Sunday) to mark the heads of the congregation on the day. By surface analysis, ash + Wednesday.

Meanings

1. The Wednesday 46 days before Easter in a given year, (Catholicism) traditionally observed as the beginning of Lent and a day of strict abstention from certain foods and pleasures.
   • Pope Gregory the Great introduced the sprinkling of ashes... which gave it the name of Ash-Wednesday. 1834, Penny Cyclopaedia, volume II, page 454:
   • Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, is the last day to feast on rich, fatty foods before the 40-day Lenten season starts the next day, on Ash Wednesday. 2026 February 16, Alicia Eler, “Lunar New Year, Ramadan and Lent in rare alignment this year. The holidays follow different solar and lunar calendars, but some of them sync up in 2026”, in Minnesota Star Tribune, archived from the original on 16 Feb 2026:
2. (qualifier:cocktail) A cocktail made from a mix of gin, heavy cream, honey syrup, and blackberries

Forms

Deriveds

Ash Monday

Translations (47)

gd Diciadain na Luathadh (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · ru Пе́пельная среда́ (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · cmn 大齋首日 /大斋首日 (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · ja 灰の水曜日 (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · sk Popolcová streda (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · el πρώτη Τετάρτη της Σαρακοστής (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · vi Thứ Tư Lễ Tro (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · fr mercredi des Cendres (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · ms Rabu Abu (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · lld Capion (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · ceb Miyerkoles sa Badlis (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · cs Popeleční středa (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · tl Miyerkoles ng Abo (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · pl Popielec (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · da askeonsdag (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · ca Dimecres de cendra (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · es miércoles de ceniza (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · csb Pòpielnô Strzoda (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · mt l-Erbgħa ta’ l-Irmied (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · sw Jumatano ya Majivu (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · nb askeonsdag (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · it Ceneri (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · lv Pelnu diena (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · hu hamvazószerda (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · ga Céadaoin an Luaithrigh (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · pl Środa Popielcowa (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · mt Ras ir-Randan (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · hy Մոխրոտ չորեքշաբթի (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · cmn 聖灰星期三 /圣灰星期三 (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · ko 재의 수요일 (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · sv askonsdag (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · la Diēs Cinerum (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · eu Hausterre-egun (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · scn mèrcuri dî cìnniri (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · cy Mercher y Lludw (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · dsb šwigawa (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · fo øskudagur (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · it Mercoledì delle Ceneri (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · fi tuhkakeskiviikko (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · pt quarta-feira de cinzas (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · la fēria quārta cinerum (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · nn oskeonsdag (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · yol die oaskean (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · sk Škaredá streda (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · de Aschermittwoch (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · nl Aswoensdag (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter) · id Rabu Abu (the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter)