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

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 Courier-Journal, 18 Dec. 2024

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 other federal holidays in 2025? —Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024

Unlike the other holidays that are always observed on Mondays (Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day and Columbus Day) Nov. 11, regardless of the day of the week, is Veterans Day. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 Nov. 2024

The United States Postal Service will be closed Columbus Day. —John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Oct. 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