Easter

== English == === Etymology === The noun is derived from Middle English Ester, from Old English ēastre, seemingly from Ēastre, a proposed Anglo-Saxon goddess of the dawn whose festival is thought to have been celebrated around the vernal equinox. Further from Proto-West Germanic *Austrā, from Proto-Germanic *Austrǭ, derived from either Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- (“dawn; east”) or, more semantically plausible, from *austrą, *auzrą, a metathesized form of *wazrą (“spring (season)”), *-ǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *wósr̥ (“spring”). The English word is cognate with German Low German Oostern (“Easter”), Old High German ōstarūn (modern German Ostern) and is possibly a doublet of east. Despite a modern folk etymology, not related to Ishtar. The verb is derived from the noun. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈiːstə/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈistəɹ/ Rhymes: -iːstə(ɹ) Hyphenation: Eas‧ter === Noun === Easter (countable and uncountable, plural Easters) (Christianity) A Christian feast commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on the first Sunday (and Monday) following the full moon that occurs on or next after the vernal equinox, ranging in most of Western Christianity (such as Protestantism and Roman Catholicism) from March 22 to April 25, and in Eastern Christianity (such as the Coptic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church) from April 4 to May 8. Synonyms: Easter Day, Easter Sunday Eastertide (“the period from Easter to Whitsun”). Meronyms: Easter Day, Easter Sunday (specifically, Roman Catholicism, dated, now chiefly figuratively) Usually preceded by an inflection of make: the act of receiving the Eucharist during Easter. (UK, Ireland, law, education) Ellipsis of Easter term. (paganism) A festival held in honour of the goddess Eostre or Ostara, celebrated at the vernal equinox or within the month of April; Eostre, Ostara. (obsolete) The Jewish Passover. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Chickasaw: Iista' ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== === Proper noun === Easter A surname. === Verb === Easter (third-person singular simple present Easters, present participle Eastering, simple past and past participle Eastered) (intransitive) To celebrate Easter. (intransitive) To spend the Easter season in some place. ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === Easter on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Easter (surname) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia “Easter”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present. “Easter”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present. === Anagrams === teares, eaters, Eastre, teresa, Teresa, asteer, saeter, reseat, teaser, Teares, aretes, steare, seater, arsete, ratees, Trease, arêtes, Seater, sæter, earset, Taseer, staree