Whitsunday

Alternative forms

• Whit Sunday

Origin

Contraction of white Sunday

Full definition of Whitsunday

Noun

1. The Sunday of the feast of Pentecost, seven weeks after Easter, when traditionally many Christians would be baptised, wearing white clothes
• 1773: John Byrom, On Whitsunday in Miscellaneous Poems - Jesus, ascended into Heav'n again/Bestow'd this won'drous Gift upon good Men/That various Nations, by his Spirit led,/All understood what Galileans said.
• 2004: Vicki K Black, Welcome to the Church Year: An Introduction to the Seasons of the Episcopal Church - An older name for this day Pentecost is Whitsunday, or “white Sunday,” named for the white garments worn by the newly baptised.
2. (Scotland) A quarter day, falling on 15th May

Derived terms

• Whitsun
• Whitsunday Islands