Definition

Noun: 1. A public holiday established by a country's government: A day on which most businesses and schools are officially closed, typically to commemorate a significant national event, person, or principle. It is authorized by law and limits work or official business.

Usage

• A "national holiday" is a fixed, official day of celebration or remembrance for a nation.
• It is used to refer to days like Independence Day, Constitution Day, or Founders' Day, which are recognized across the entire country.
• The term specifies that the holiday applies nationwide, as opposed to regional or religious holidays.

Examples

• Noun:
  • July 4th is a national holiday in the United States, celebrating Independence Day.
  • Government offices and banks are closed for the national holiday.
  • The president gave a speech to mark the national holiday.

Advanced Usage

• "to declare a national holiday": The official act of establishing a day as a national holiday by governmental authority.
  • The government declared a national holiday to celebrate the team's historic victory.

Variants and Related Words

• Public holiday (n): A synonym often used interchangeably with "national holiday," though in some contexts, "public holiday" can also include regional holidays.
• Federal holiday (n): (Primarily US) A holiday recognized by the federal government, often synonymous with national holiday for federal employees and institutions.
• Statutory holiday (n): (Primarily Canada, UK) A holiday mandated by statute (law).

Synonyms

• Public holiday: A holiday for the general public.
• Legal holiday: A holiday recognized by law.
• Bank holiday: (UK, some other countries) An official public holiday when banks and many businesses are closed.

Related Phrases

• National holiday period: The time, often several days, surrounding a national holiday when many people travel or celebrate.
  • Traffic is always heavy during the national holiday period.

Noun

1. authorized by law and limiting work or official business