Lent en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /lɛnt/
- (US) audio
Etymology
Shortened form of Lenten, from Old English lencten, from Proto-West Germanic *langatīn (“spring”), as in a season into which days lengthen as it progresses. Cognate with Alemannic German langsé, Langssi (“spring”), Bavarian longas, lòngas, longast (“spring”), Cimbrian langaz, langhes, långez (“spring”), lentz (“March”), Dutch lente (“spring”), German Lenz, Lenze (“spring”), Mòcheno langes (“spring”).
Meanings
-
A period of the ecclesiastical year preceding Easter, traditionally involving temporary abstention from certain foods and pleasures.
Hezekiah gave up vaping for Lent.
- A period of the ecclesiastical year preceding Easter, traditionally involving temporary abstention from certain foods and pleasures. ▸ The 40 days preceding Lazarus Saturday, the Saturday preceding Holy Week.
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A period of the ecclesiastical year preceding Easter, traditionally involving temporary abstention from certain foods and pleasures. ▸ The 46 days preceding Easter, reckoned as 40 days by excluding Sundays.
This Tuesday and Wednesday, four holidays from different cultures and religions overlap in a rare calendar year. The celebrations of Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) and Lunar New Year both occur on Tuesday, Feb. 17 [2026]. This won't happen again until Feb. 13, 2029, according to the websites chinahighlights.com and mardigrasneworleans.com. Ramadan is expected to start Tuesday evening, pending official confirmation, and Lent ([which begins on] Ash Wednesday) begins on Feb. 18. Last year, Ramadan and Lent began within a week of each other on Feb. 28 and March 5. The holidays are all happening within two days this year because several long solar, lunar and lunisolar calendar cycles sync up. Lunar New Year happens on the second new moon after winter solstice, which is also Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) — 47 days before Easter Sunday.
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:
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(UK, abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of Lent term.
alt of Lent term
- (Myanmar) vassa, period of the Buddhist lent during the rainy season
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lents | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Reminiscere Sunday (2nd Sunday) · Holy Saturday · Clean Monday (1st day) (Eastern Orthodoxy) · Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday) · Oculi Sunday (3rd Sunday) · Lazarus Friday (Eastern Orthodoxy) · Passion Sunday (5th Sunday) · Palm Sunday (6th Sunday) · Ash Wednesday (1st day) · Quadragesima Sunday (1st Sunday)
Synonyms
season of Lent · Lent season · Lent term (educational) · Lententide · Quadragesima · Great Lent · Lenten season
Translations (107)
fur cresime (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · lv Lielais gavēnis (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · vec quaresima (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · rup preasinj (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · nn langfaste (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · aii ܨܵܘܡܵܐ ܕܐܲܪܒܥܝܼ (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · cmn 四旬节 (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · la quādrāgēsima (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · eo Fastsezono (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · rup preasinji (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · it Quaresima (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ro Păresimi (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · mhn Vòst (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ko 사순절 (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · yi גרויסער פּאָסט (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ar اَلصَّوْم اَلْكَبِير (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ca quaresma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ga Carghas (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · sv påskfastan (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · rm curesma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · fi suuri paasto (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ru Вели́кий пост (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · kok कोरेज्म (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ro postul Paștelui (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · fi paasto (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · gur nõor-lʋa (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · eo Karesmo (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · vi Mùa Chay (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · bg Вели́к по́ст (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · sh Велики пост (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · mos no-loeere (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · rm quaraisma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · nl veertigdagentijd (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · el Σαρακοστή (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ms Pra-Paskah (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · izh Suurpyhä (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · mt Randan (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · nb langfaste (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · izh Äijäpyhä (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · gd Carghas (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · cs postní doba (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · lt Gavėnia (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · gv Cargys (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · sc caresima (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · cmn 四旬節 /四旬节 (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · sh Veliki post (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · rup pãreasinj (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · nl vastentijd (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · uk Вели́кий піст (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · nrf Tchithême (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · pl Wielki Post (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · wa cwareme (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · haw Kalema (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · be Вялі́кі по́ст (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ro păresimi (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · eu Garizuma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · hu nagyböjt (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · da faste (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · cs velký půst (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · cmn 大齋期 /大斋期 (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ar الصَّوْم الْأَرْبَعِينِيّ (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · cy Grawys (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · nb faste (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ro postul Paștilor (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · izh Pääsiänpaasto (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · hy Մեծ Պահք (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ca Quaresma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · de Fastenzeit (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · yi פֿאַסטצײַט (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · dsb spótny cas (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · lld carëisema (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · es Cuaresma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · hi चालीसा काल (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · gl coresma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · pt quaresma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · rm curaisma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · yi פּאָסטצײַט (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · sh korizma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · io karesmo (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · sl véliki pôst (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · he הַתַּעֲנִית (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · am የሁዳዴ ጾም (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ast Cuaresma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ro postul mare (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · sv fastan (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · fi paastonaika (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · scn Quarèsima (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · vec cuaréxema (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · sw kwaresima (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · oc caresma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · rm cureisma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · fr carême (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · fa چله روزه (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · dsb spót (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · tr Büyük Perhiz (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · sh коризма (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · tl Kuwaresma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · sk Veľký pôst (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · el Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ja 四旬節 (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · lb Faaschtenzäit (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · nb fastetid (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · tl Kurisma (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · id Prapaskah (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · ka დიდი მარხვა (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · fur coresime (Christian period of penitence before Easter) · aii ܨܵܘܡܵܐ ܓܘܼܪܵܐ (Christian period of penitence before Easter)