TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

RED LETTER DAY [1 record]

Filter results by subject field Alphabetical list of terms

Filter results by subject field

Alphabetical list of terms

Record 1 2005-10-14

English

Subject field(s)
  • Translation
  • Language Problems
CONT

Because feast days in ... almanacs and calendars were frequently written or printed in red, a red-letter day came to be a term for one that was special.

OBS

Red-letter means simply "memorable or important, esp. in a happy or favorable way". The expression comes from the long-established practice of using red ink to indicate holy days in ecclesiastical calendars. A red-letter day - literally a day written in red letters - was a holy day, or church festival, and thus came to mean "any memorable or happy day".

French

Domaine(s)
  • Traduction
  • Problèmes de langue

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Traducción
  • Problemas de idioma
Save record 1

Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank

© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2024
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau

Display options

Change the order of display of the official languages of Canada
Option to display the non-official languages (Spanish or Portuguese)
Display definitions, contexts, etc., on records

Features

Language Portal of Canada

Access a collection of Canadian resources on all aspects of English and French, including quizzes.

Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.

Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.

Date Modified: