Bastille Day

noun

: July 14 observed in France as a national holiday in commemoration of the fall of the Bastille in 1789

Examples of Bastille Day in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The first aerial sorties went up at midnight on Bastille Day, July 14. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024 Swiss National Day at Gallery O on H Recent weeks have seen the French celebrating Bastille Day and Belgian restaurants offering half-price beer for that country’s national day. Adele Chapin, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2024 Its storming and subsequent fall are commemorated annually on July 14, the fête nationale française—more commonly known to English speakers as Bastille Day. Tom Nouvian, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 July 2024 That was one degree hotter than the old record for Bastille Day in Washington. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 15 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for Bastille Day 

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Bastille Day was in 1837

Dictionary Entries Near Bastille Day

Cite this Entry

“Bastille Day.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bastille%20Day. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

Bastille Day

noun
Bas·​tille Day
ba-ˈstē(ə)l-
: July 14 observed in France as a national holiday in memory of the capture of the Parisian prison the Bastille by revolutionary forces in 1789

More from Merriam-Webster on Bastille 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!