Columbus Day

noun

Co·​lum·​bus Day kə-ˈləm-bəs- 

1

: October 12 formerly observed as a legal holiday in many states of the U.S. in commemoration of the landing of Columbus in the Bahamas in 1492

2

: the second Monday in October observed as a legal holiday in many states of the U.S.

Examples of Columbus Day in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Another 2024 bill would have moved the Lee holiday to Columbus Day in October, which coincides with the month of his death. —CBS News, 20 Jan. 2025

Other federal holidays include: New Year's Day Presidents' Day Memorial Day Juneteenth July 4th Labor Day Columbus Day/Italian Heritage Day/Indigenous People's Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day History of MLK Jr. —David Faris, Newsweek, 19 Jan. 2025

Roundup Celebrating Indigenous Peoples and Cultures More and more states are choosing to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day. —JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday Monday, Feb. 17: Washington's Birthday, also known as Presidents Day Monday, May 26: Memorial Day Friday, July 4: Fourth of July Monday, Sept. 1: Labor Day Monday, Oct. 13: Columbus Day, known as Indigenous Peoples Day What are the federal holidays in 2025? —Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Columbus Day

noun

Co·​lum·​bus Day kə-ˈləm-bəs- 

: the second Monday in October observed as a legal holiday in many states of the U.S. in honor of the landing of Columbus in the Bahamas in 1492