Noun

holidays

1. Plural form of holiday.
2. (plural only) The season around Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year's Day.

   Where will you be spending the holidays?

Verb

holidays

1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of holiday.

A holiday is, in the English-speaking world, a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observation is warranted. Examples of types of holidays include:

• Official or unofficial observances of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations or festivities
• A general leave of absence or vacation from a regular occupation for rest or recreation
• A specific trip or journey for the purposes of recreation or tourism

People often take a vacation during specific holiday observances, or for specific festivals or celebrations. Vacation or holidays are often used spent with friends or family.

A person may take a longer break from work, such as a sabbatical, gap year, or career break.

Holiday

The word "holiday" comes from the Old English word hāligdæg. The word originally referred only to special religious days. In modern use, it means any special day of rest or relaxation, as opposed to normal days off work or school. The word derived from the notion of "Holy Day", and gradually evolved to its current form.

Vacation

In the United Kingdom, vacation once specifically referred to the long summer break taken by the law courts and, later, universities—a custom introduced by William the Conqueror from Normandy where it facilitated the grape harvest. In the past, many upper-class families moved to a summer home for part of the year, leaving their usual family home vacant.

Regional meanings