lent

1 of 2

past tense and past participle of lend

Lent

2 of 2

noun

ˈlent 

: 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

Noun

For the Vatican, the Lent of 2025 takes place in a desert of uncertainty as the pope’s health hangs in the balance. —Christopher Lamb, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025

March 7 is the first Friday of Lent — and many Catholics across America will be abstaining from eating meat this Friday and all Fridays through April 18, which is Good Friday this year. —Peter Burke, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2025

Here’s where to eat in and around Sacramento: Observing Lent in Sacramento area? —Kendrick Marshall, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025

Pope Misses Start of Lent The Catholic Church began the solemn Lenten season on Wednesday without Pope Francis because of his ongoing hospitalization. —Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025

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

Phrases Containing lent

• Jack-a-Lent

Rhymes for lent

• bent
• blent
• cent
• ent
• fent
• meant
• pent
• rent
• rente
• scent
• sent
• spent

Kids Definition

Lent

noun

ˈlent 

: 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