lent

1 of 2

past tense and past participle of lend

Lent

2 of 2

noun

: the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter observed by the Roman Catholic, Eastern, and some Protestant churches as a period of penitence and fasting

Examples of lent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
On a happier note, Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — the famous festival held every year before Lent — gets underway. Andrew Torgan, CNN, 23 Feb. 2025 Carnival, also referred to as Mardi Gras, is the last festivity before the Christian period of Lent begins. Ramsey Qubein, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025 The boycott would begin March 3 on Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent and a 40-day period of prayer and penance leading up to Easter. Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025 It is called Fat Tuesday because, on this last day of Mardi Gras, people stuff themselves with rich foods before the beginning of 40 days of fasting for Lent. Randy Graham, Orange County Register, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lent

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English lente springtime, Lent, from Old English lencten; akin to Old High German lenzin spring

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lent was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lent. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

Lent

noun
: a period of fasting and regret for one's sins that is observed on the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter by many churches
Lenten
ˈlent-ᵊn
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on lent

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!