Up-Helly-Aa

noun

Up-Hel·​ly-Aa

ˈəpˌhelēˌä

plural -s

: a festival held in Shetland usually on the last Tuesday night of January to mark the end of the yule season

Word History

Etymology

Middle English uphaliday, from up + haliday, holiday holiday

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!