Meanings
plural Ash Wednesdays · alternative Ashwednesday · alternative Ash-Wednesday
- ChristianityThe 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 4541 more example
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 - cocktailA cocktail made from a mix of gin, heavy cream, honey syrup, and blackberries
Origin
- Middle EnglishAsche Wednesday
- EnglishAsh Wednesday
From Middle English Asche Wednesday, from asche (“ash”) + Wednesday (“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.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Basque Hausterre-egun
- Hausterre-egunthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Catalan Dimecres de cendra
- Dimecres de cendrathe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Chinese Mandarin 大齋首日 /大斋首日, 聖灰星期三 /圣灰星期三
- 大齋首日 /大斋首日 (dàzhāi-shǒurì)the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
- 聖灰星期三 /圣灰星期三 (shèng-huī-xīngqīsān)the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Czech Popeleční středa
- Popeleční středathe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Danish askeonsdag
- askeonsdagthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Dutch Aswoensdag
- Aswoensdagthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Finnish tuhkakeskiviikko
- tuhkakeskiviikkothe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
French mercredi des Cendres
- mercredi des Cendresthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
German Aschermittwoch
- Aschermittwochthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Greek πρώτη Τετάρτη της Σαρακοστής
- πρώτη Τετάρτη της Σαρακοστής (próti Tetárti tis Sarakostís)the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Hungarian hamvazószerda
- hamvazószerdathe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Indonesian Rabu Abu
- Rabu Abuthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Irish Céadaoin an Luaithrigh
- Céadaoin an Luaithrighthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Italian Mercoledì delle Ceneri, Ceneri
- Mercoledì delle Cenerithe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
- Cenerithe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Japanese 灰の水曜日
- 灰の水曜日 (hai-no suiyōbi)the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Korean 재의 수요일
- 재의 수요일 (jae'ui suyoil)the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Latin Diēs Cinerum, fēria quārta cinerum
- Diēs Cinerumthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
- fēria quārta cinerumthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Latvian Pelnu diena
- Pelnu dienathe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Malay Rabu Abu
- Rabu Abuthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Norwegian Bokmål askeonsdag
- askeonsdagthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Polish Środa Popielcowa, Popielec
- Środa Popielcowathe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
- Popielecthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Portuguese quarta-feira de cinzas
- quarta-feira de cinzasthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Russian Пе́пельная среда́
- Пе́пельная среда́ (Pépelʹnaja sredá)the Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Scottish Gaelic Diciadain na Luathadh
- Diciadain na Luathadhthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Slovak Popolcová streda, Škaredá streda
- Popolcová stredathe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
- Škaredá stredathe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Spanish miércoles de ceniza
- miércoles de cenizathe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Swahili Jumatano ya Majivu
- Jumatano ya Majivuthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Swedish askonsdag
- askonsdagthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Tagalog Miyerkoles ng Abo
- Miyerkoles ng Abothe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Vietnamese Thứ Tư Lễ Tro
- Thứ Tư Lễ Trothe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Welsh Mercher y Lludw
- Mercher y Lludwthe Christian day of penitence 46 days before Easter
Cite this entry
Ash Wednesday. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ash%20Wednesday
“Ash Wednesday.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ash%20Wednesday. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Ash Wednesday,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ash%20Wednesday.
Source: Ash Wednesday on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.