Guy Fawkes Day

noun

: November 5 observed in England in commemoration of the seizure of Guy Fawkes in 1605 for an attempt to blow up the houses of parliament

Examples of Guy Fawkes Day in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Although the tradition was once a version of Guy Fawkes Day, celebrating Australia’s connection to Britain, it was changed in the 1980s to honor the day the territory became a self-governing region. Yan Zhuang, New York Times, 2 July 2023 The episode in which Diana does an explosive interview with the BBC on Guy Fawkes Day includes young Prince William receiving a school tutorial on the Gunpowder Plot and an at-home lecture on the monarchy’s history with television from the Queen Mother. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 5 Nov. 2022 There's also some speculation about whether the poppy should only be worn after Bonfire Night (a British holiday also known as Guy Fawkes Day, celebrated on the 5th of November). Katie Robinson, Town & Country, 8 Nov. 2020 Tonight, people in Great Britain will celebrate Guy Fawkes Day with bonfires and elaborate fireworks displays across the country, which is why it's also known as Bonfire Night. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Nov. 2020 Halloween never went away, though the popularity of All Saints’ Day in the United Kingdom waned with the rise of Protestantism and the creation of another fall holiday, Guy Fawkes Day. Amber Dance, Discover Magazine, 29 Oct. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Guy Fawkes Day.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Guy Fawkes Day was in 1825

Dictionary Entries Near Guy Fawkes Day

Cite this Entry

“Guy Fawkes Day.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Guy%20Fawkes%20Day. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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