What does "whitsunday" mean?
The Sunday on which the feast or festival of Pentecost falls, seven weeks after Easter.
Whitsunday
/wɪtˈsʌndeɪ/ name, noun
name, noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The Sunday on which the feast or festival of Pentecost falls, seven weeks after Easter.
- Grammar: whitsunday is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: pentecost, advent, ash wednesday, carnival.
- Useful contrasts: inland, mainland, non liturgical.
- Usage evidence: He was bitten by a shark November 5 at Cid Harbour, a large and popular anchorage in the Whitsunday Islands off eastern Australia.
How to use "whitsunday"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "whitsunday" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "whitsunday" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "whitsunday" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "whitsunday" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "whitsunday" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "pentecost" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The Sunday on which the feast or festival of Pentecost falls, seven weeks after Easter.
"Holonyms: Pentecost (season), Whitsun, Whitsuntide, Whit"
- 2 seventh Sunday after Easter; commemorates the emanation of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles; a quarter day in Scotland wordnet
- 3 A quarter day falling on 15th May. Scotland
Proper Noun
- 1 A local government area in northern Queensland, Australia; in full, Whitsunday Region.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"He was bitten by a shark November 5 at Cid Harbour, a large and popular anchorage in the Whitsunday Islands off eastern Australia."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "whitsunday"?
Common synonyms include: pentecost, advent, ash wednesday, carnival, christmas, corpus christi.
How do you use "whitsunday" in a sentence?
He was bitten by a shark November 5 at Cid Harbour, a large and popular anchorage in the Whitsunday Islands off eastern Australia.
How do you pronounce "whitsunday"?
Pronounced /wɪtˈsʌndeɪ/.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English Whitsonday, from whit (“white”) + Sonday (“Sunday”), from Old English hwīt sunnandæg, probably from the white clothes worn by newly baptized Christians as Pentecost was a traditional date of baptism in early medieval England. Doublet of White Sunday.