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.