Eastertide

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The liturgical period following Easter Sunday, typically lasting several weeks, commemorating the resurrection; a season of joyful celebration in Christian tradition; a time marked by special religious observances and festivities
2. A sacred span after Easter dedicated to reflecting on resurrection themes; a festive era in the church calendar; a sequence of days emphasizing renewal and spiritual rejoicing
3. The church season succeeding Easter day that honors resurrection events; a joyous interval marked by religious ceremonies; a prolonged festival period symbolizing rebirth and hope

Etymology: Eastertide is one of those English words that is simply a compound, and its most telling part is the older word buried inside "Easter." That name descends from a Proto-Germanic word for the dawn, *Austrǭ, linked to the sunrise and to the east, so the festival was named after the direction the sun rises from. The Old English form "ēastre" was the name of a goddess of spring and dawn, whose festival gave the Christian feast its English name. The second half, "-tide," is an Old English noun meaning "time" or "season," still visible in words like "Christmastide" and "Whitsuntide." Attached to a feast name, it marks the stretch of time around that feast rather than the day itself. Eastertide therefore names the whole span of weeks following Easter Sunday, the period the Church treats as one continuous celebration of the resurrection.

Synonyms: easter season, eastertime, paschal season, easter period