Memorial Day

noun

1

: May 30 formerly observed as a legal holiday in most states of the U.S. in remembrance of war dead

2

: the last Monday in May observed as a legal holiday in most states of the U.S.

3

: confederate memorial day

Examples of Memorial Day in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Memorial Day until 11:45 p.m. on each of those days. —Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 26 June 2024

That follows a similarly record-setting Memorial Day holiday weekend, which included a day with more than 2.95 million passengers. —Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024

Clifton Park, 2200 Wilson Boulevard, was supposed to debut its spray park Memorial Day weekend. —Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2024

Beginning in the early 1930s, J. Albert Mitten was the first chair of the Memorial Day observances for Post 31. —Kevin Dayhoff, Baltimore Sun, 22 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Memorial Day

noun

1

: May 30 once observed as a legal holiday in honor of those who died in war

2

: the last Monday in May observed as a legal holiday in most states of the U.S.