What does easter mean?
Easter is the principal annual festival of the Christian church, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion. Because its date is calculated as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox, it falls on a different Sunday each year, anywhere between late March and late April. Beyond its religious significance, Easter carries rich cultural associations: spring renewal, decorated and hidden eggs, chocolate gifts, the Easter bunny, and family gatherings. The word is capitalized as a proper noun and serves both as the name of the day itself (Easter Sunday) and of the wider festive season (Eastertide). In everyday English it appears in fixed phrases such as "Happy Easter," "Easter egg hunt," and "Easter break," making it a word that blends solemn religious meaning with warm, seasonal, domestic imagery across the English-speaking world.
The annual Christian festival commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox.
"They sang hymns joyfully throughout the Easter morning service."
The period or season surrounding this festival, including its customs, holidays, and traditions.
"The children spent the whole of Easter painting eggs and baking hot cross buns."
Rarely used; typically appears when counting years or recalling repeated occasions of the festival.
"It must have been three Easters since we last saw them."
English is unusual in naming this festival after a dawn goddess — most other European languages call it some version of Pascha, from Hebrew Pesach (Passover).
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of easter
Easter derives from Old English ēastre, the name of a pagan spring festival, which the Venerable Bede connected to Ēostre, a goddess of dawn and spring whose month was called Ēastermōnaþ. The word is related etymologically to "east," the direction of the rising sun, reflecting its association with dawn and springtime renewal. Most other European languages instead use terms derived from Hebrew Pesach via Greek and Latin Pascha, such as French Pâques and German Ostern (the latter sharing the same Germanic dawn-root as English). The English sense shifted from the pagan spring feast to the Christian commemoration of Christ's resurrection as Christianity spread through Anglo-Saxon England.
How easter is actually used
As the name of a specific festival and holiday, Easter is normally capitalized. It functions as both a countable noun ("two Easters ago") and an uncountable one referring to the period ("at Easter", "over Easter"). British usage often treats it as a general holiday period, while American usage more often specifies "Easter Sunday" or "Easter weekend."
Easily confused with easter
An ester is a chemical compound formed from an acid and an alcohol, whereas Easter is the Christian spring festival; the two words differ by only one letter.