weekend

weekend

UK[ˌwiːkˈend]US[ˈwiːk.end]
n

Saturday and Sunday, especially considered as a time for leisure and rest

v

To spend the weekend somewhere

Morpheme Breakdown

week
end
week

period of seven days

end

conclusion

Etymology

The word "weekend" is a transparent compound formed within Modern English from the native Germanic nouns "week" and "end." Its logic is purely temporal and spatial, designating the concluding part of the standard seven-day cycle. The concept and term solidified in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting industrialized society's formalization of Saturday and Sunday as a distinct block of leisure time separate from the workweek. Its formation follows a straightforward pattern common in English, where two existing nouns combine to create a new, specific concept.

Analysis

Structure: week (period of seven days) + end (conclusion) - week: From Old English wice, wicu, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch week and German Woche. Functions as the base noun denoting a time period. - end: From Old English ende, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch einde and German Ende. Functions as a noun indicating a limit or conclusion.

Examples

We're going to the countryside for the weekend.

The office is closed on the weekend.

They weekend at their beach house whenever they can.