Juneteenth

noun

June·​teenth ˌjün-ˈtēn(t)th How to pronounce Juneteenth (audio)
: June 19 observed as a legal holiday in the United States in commemoration of the end of slavery in the U.S.

Note: The federal name for this holiday according to the United States Code is Juneteenth National Independence Day. It is also called Black Independence Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Juneteenth Independence Day.

Examples of Juneteenth 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.
In his first weeks in office, Trump signed an executive order to end all DEI initiatives in the federal government; moved to ban observances of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Juneteenth; targeted gender-affirming care, launched mass deportation efforts and more. Char Adams, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2025 This includes New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025 The National Juneteenth Museum got approval to develop and lease a Fort Worth community center's property for 40 years. Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 14 Feb. 2025 Our fact-check sources Reuters, Feb. 7, Fact Check: No George Floyd statue ever erected at National Mall, contrary to claims USA TODAY, June 25, 2021, 'Shameful': George Floyd statues, unveiled for Juneteenth, vandalized in NYC, New Jersey Thank you for supporting our journalism. Katie Smith, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Juneteenth

Word History

Etymology

blend of June and nineteenth

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Juneteenth was in 1890

Cite this Entry

“Juneteenth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Juneteenth. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

Juneteenth

noun
June·​teenth
ˌjün-ˈtēn(t)th
: June 19 observed as a legal holiday in the U.S. in commemoration of the end of slavery in the U.S.
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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