plural Eids
: either of two Islamic festivals:
a
or Eid al-Adha : an Islamic festival that begins on the 10th day of Dhu'l-Hijja, that lasts four days, and that commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Ishmael
… many people in the Arab world facing grinding economic crisis as the year's biggest Muslim festival approaches … are looking at the prospect of a lean Eid.Kuwait Times
On the first day of Eid al-Adha, Muslims who are able to do so mirror the behaviour of the prophet. They slaughter animals such as sheep, cows and goats in the name of Allah, and share it amongst family, friends and the needy.Ramazani Mwamba
often used before another noun
Eid prayers
b
or Eid al-Fitr : an Islamic festival that takes place during the first three days of Shawwal and marks the end of Ramadan with prayer, gifts, and sweets
At the end of Ramadan, we relish the relaxing mood of ‎Eid, because we can break our fast and enjoy our time with ‎family, friends, and community.Abdulrahman Bindamnan
For the three-day celebration Eid al-Fitr, which concludes the holy month, families host banquets, exchange gifts and feast on everything from … whole stuffed lamb to rice pudding and pistachio cakes.Nancy Matsumoto
often used before another noun
Eid celebrations

see also eid mubarak

Examples of Eid 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.
Elders have given accounts of bygone times when residents from various ethnic groups lived in harmony, even sharing gifts during religious celebrations for Eid and Christmas. Nathaniel Bivan, Christian Science Monitor, 27 May 2025 Those recognized were: Bartlett High School: Kaitlyn Jenison, Krish Patel, Jingyuan Wen, Whalan Eid, Ryan Chien, Benjamin Emro, Audrey Martin, Zara Yasoob and Jack Conner. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025 At home, Alpha has Uncle Amin jack-knifing with cramps on her floor, then slipping out of the family’s Eid dinner to score. Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 19 May 2025 Season 24 of Law & Order is executive produced by Wolf, Rick Eid, Pamela Wechsler, Alex Hall and Jankowski. Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025 Wolf executive produces along with Rick Eid, Pamela Wechsler, Alex Hall and Peter Jankowski. Joe Otterson, Variety, 8 May 2025 The orders came during Eid al-Fitr, a normally festive Muslim holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Arkansas Online, 1 Apr. 2025 The incident took place during Eid al-Fitr, the three-day Islamic religious celebration marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2025 Tensions also grew between Iraq's Sunni institutions over conflicting announcements, with dozens of Iraqis performing Eid prayers on Sunday, outside mosques and without clergy, according to media reports. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Arabic ʽīd al-ʼaḍḥā "Festival of the Sacrifice" and ʽīd al-fiṭr "Festival of the Breaking of the Fast"

Note: The transliteration Eid probably represents pronunciation of ʽīd in Persian as /eid/.

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Eid was in 1698

Cite this Entry

“Eid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Eid. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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!