Columbus Day

noun

Co·​lum·​bus Day kə-ˈləm-bəs- 

1

: October 12 formerly observed as a legal holiday in many states of the U.S. in commemoration of the landing of Columbus in the Bahamas in 1492

2

: the second Monday in October observed as a legal holiday in many states of the U.S.

Examples of Columbus Day in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Roundup Celebrating Indigenous Peoples and Cultures More and more states are choosing to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day. —JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024

When Cavalli served as Grand Marshall for New York City’s 2003 Columbus Day Parade, Cavalli rode in an Alfa Romeo convertible flanked by 20 Ducati motorcycle drivers, each with a model riding piggyback. —Jager Weatherby, New York Daily News, 12 Apr. 2024

Unfortunately, the Stamford Board of Education still sees him that way and has chosen to engage in the latest round of cancel culture by eliminating Columbus Day and giving their students a distorted, narrow view based on identity politics. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2024

The law also officially moved Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day to Mondays, although Veterans Day officially reverted to November 11 in 1978. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Columbus Day

noun

Co·​lum·​bus Day kə-ˈləm-bəs- 

: the second Monday in October observed as a legal holiday in many states of the U.S. in honor of the landing of Columbus in the Bahamas in 1492