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
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Noun
Democratic differences The bill presented by Lent, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, advanced to the Senate floor by one vote Monday. Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 7 Feb. 2025 Like many religious things in American culture, this rich, complex history has shrunk to a time when those of us aware of Lent may simply attempt another personal goal, like a quick do-over of our earlier New Year’s resolutions. Lynne Silva-Breen, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 The festival had a Christian tie-in, as a burst of hedonism before the austerity of Lent. Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024 The Catholic Church in Venezuela bent the rules for the semiaquatic animal, allowing it to be eaten during Lent. Gary Shteyngart, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 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

Dictionary Entries Near lent

Cite this Entry

“Lent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lent. Accessed 16 Feb. 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

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