weekday
Meaning
Any day of the week except Saturday and Sunday, or sometimes except Sunday alone.
Structure
Usage
The library is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
I prefer to travel on a weekday to avoid the weekend crowds.
Parking restrictions are only in effect during weekday business hours.
Etymology
The word "weekday" is a transparent compound formed from two native English words. "Week" originates from a Proto-Germanic root meaning a sequence or change, which evolved to denote the specific seven-day cycle. "Day" stems from a common Germanic term for the 24-hour period of daylight. The compound's logic is directly literal, designating a day that belongs to the ordinary working sequence of the week, in contrast to the day of rest (originally Sunday, later including Saturday). Its meaning reflects the societal structuring of time into periods of labor and respite.
Analysis
- week: From Old English wice, wicu, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch week and German Woche. Functions as the base noun specifying the recurring cycle. - day: From Old English dæg, of Germanic origin. Functions as the head noun specifying a unit within that cycle.