Definition

Proper noun: - A French national holiday: Bastille Day is the common English name for the French national holiday celebrated annually on July 14th. It commemorates the Storming of the Bastille, a pivotal event in Paris on July 14, 1789, which marked a major turning point in the French Revolution.

Usage

• Bastille Day is a day of national celebration in France, featuring military parades, fireworks, and public festivities.
• It symbolizes the birth of the French Republic and the values of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "Bastille Day celebrations": Refers specifically to the events and activities held on the holiday.
  • The Bastille Day celebrations along the Champs-Élysées are televised worldwide.

Variants and Related Words

• Fête Nationale Française (n): The official French name for the holiday, meaning "French National Celebration."
  • In France, the holiday is formally known as la Fête Nationale.
• Le Quatorze Juillet (n): The French term for "the Fourteenth of July," commonly used to refer to the day.
  • On le quatorze juillet, towns across France hold balls and parties.

Synonyms

• French National Day: A direct descriptive synonym.
• July 14th: The date itself is often used to refer to the holiday, especially in an international context.

Related Phrases

• Storming of the Bastille: The historical event that the holiday commemorates.
  • Bastille Day marks the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille.

Noun

1. a legal holiday in France celebrating the storming of the Paris bastille in 1789