Columbus Day

noun

Co·​lum·​bus Day kə-ˈləm-bəs- How to pronounce Columbus Day (audio)
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
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.
Similar action would be needed to delist Columbus Day from the ranks of federal holidays. Philip Elliott, Time, 28 Apr. 2025 The federal holiday, the second Monday in October, was still known as Columbus Day during Biden’s term, but also as Indigenous Peoples Day. Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025 The White House pushed back against Sen. Martin Heinrich’s (D-NM) rebuke of President Donald Trump’s call to reinstate the national celebration of Columbus Day, posting an iconic clip from The Sopranos television series. Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 28 Apr. 2025 Several states still have an official public holiday exclusively called Columbus Day and others like Nebraska or Pennsylvania celebrate both. Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Columbus Day

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Columbus Day was in 1892

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Columbus Day.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Columbus%20Day. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

Columbus Day

noun
Co·​lum·​bus Day kə-ˈləm-bəs- How to pronounce Columbus Day (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on Columbus Day

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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