Meanings
plural sevennights
- alternativearchaicobsoleteAlternative form of sennight, a week.
VVearie Seu'nights, nine times nine, Shall he dvvindle, peake, and pine: […]
c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], page 132, column 13 more examples
VVhat doctrine is vvritten for us in the eighth chapter of the firſt book of Kings, I did partly ſhevv unto you, moſt honourable audience, this day ſeven-night, of that good man, father Samuel, that good Judge, hovv good a man he vvas, vvhat helpers and coadjutors he took unto him, to have his office vvell diſcharged.
1549 April 21 (Gregorian calendar), Hugh Latimer, “Sermon X. Being the Sixth Sermon Preached before King Edward VI. April the Tvvelfth.”, in The Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God, Master Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester. […], volume I, London: […] J. Scott, […], published 1758, →OCLC, page 175The Holy Houſel ought to be kept vvith great Diligence and not be permitted to be ſtale, but another be alvvays hallovved anevv for Sick Men in about a Seven-night, or Fortnight, ſo as that it may not be muſty at leaſt.
1720, Elfric [i.e., Ælfric of Abingdon]; John Johnson, “A.D. DCCCCLVII. Elfric’s Canons.”, in A Collection of All the Ecclesiastical Laws, Canons, Answers, Or Rescripts, with Other Memorials Concerning the Government, Discipline, and Worship of the Church of England, […], 1st part, London: […] Robert Knaplock […], and Samuel Ballard […], →OCLCAnd Mrs. Jevvkes tells me, every one names Thurſday come Sev'nnight for our Nuptials.
1741, [Samuel Richardson], “[The Journal Continued.] Monday.”, in Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded. […], 3rd edition, volume II, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […]; and J. Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 153
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*nókʷts“night”
- Proto-Indo-European*septḿ̥“seven”
- Old Englishseofeniht
- Middle Englishseven-night
- Englishsevennight
From Middle English seven-night, sevenight, sevenyght [and other forms], from Late Old English seofeniht (compare seofonnihte (“seven days old; seven days long”, adjective)), from seofon (“seven”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *septḿ̥ (“seven”)) + niht (“night; day (when computing spans of time)”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts (“night”)). Doublet of sennight.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Indo-European
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
sevennight. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sevennight
“sevennight.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sevennight. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sevennight,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sevennight.
Source: sevennight on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.