Saturday

Definition

The word "Saturday" designates (1) the seventh day of the week in many Western calendars, following Friday and preceding Sunday, and (2) by extension, the part of the weekend typically associated with leisure, rest, or special events.

Parts of Speech

• Proper Noun (name of a specific day)
• Noun (the day itself)
• Adjective (attributive use, e.g., “Saturday night”)

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈsæɾɚˌdeɪ/
• Respelling: SAT‑ur‑day

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈsætədeɪ/
• Respelling: SAT‑uh‑day

Etymology

"Saturday" originates from Old English Sæterdæġ, a calque of Latin diēs Sāturnī (“day of Saturn”), the Roman god of agriculture and time. The term evolved through Middle English Saterday to the modern form.

Derivatives

• Sat. / Sat (abbreviation)
• Saturday’s (possessive form)
• Saturday‑night (compound adjective)

Synonyms

• Sat. (abbreviated form)

Antonyms

• (None in the lexical sense; context‑dependent)

Usage

"Saturday" is ubiquitous in calendars, schedules, and informal speech, often implying weekend leisure. Examples: "The match is on Saturday," or "We went for a Saturday brunch downtown."

Related Terms

• Weekend: The period comprising Saturday and Sunday in many countries.
• Friday: The day preceding Saturday.
• Sunday: The day following Saturday.

Detailed Definitions

Proper Noun

• The seventh day of the week in ISO‑8601 countries (or sixth in some traditions): Identifies a specific position in the recurring seven‑day cycle.
  • Example: "This year, Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday."

Noun

• The 24‑hour period occurring between Friday midnight and Sunday midnight: Denotes the duration commonly devoted to rest or recreation.
  • Example: "Many shops close early on Saturday."

Adjective (Attributive)

• Pertaining to or occurring on Saturday: Describes events, routines, or customs linked to that day.
  • Example: "They watched a classic movie during their Saturday night tradition."