Mardi

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A weekly occasion linked to Mars, celebrated with feasting and merriment, particularly before the Lenten season
2. An event characterized by joyful festivities and indulgent meals, especially on the day before Ash Wednesday
3. A festive celebration held once a year that marks the day before the start of Lent, often involving lively parties and rich foods

Etymology: In French, "mardi" simply means Tuesday, and it is the only sense the word has on its own. It descends from Old French "mardi," which came from Latin "Martis dies," meaning "day of Mars." The Romans named the day for the god of war, and the French kept that name as the days of the week shifted into their modern form. English speakers rarely meet the word outside its famous phrase. The feasting and merriment belong to "Mardi Gras," which is French for "Fat Tuesday." It names the final day before Ash Wednesday, when Lent's fasting begins, so the last rich meal and celebration fell on that Tuesday. The New Orleans carnival tradition attached the name to its parades, and English took it up in that setting, which is why many people now connect "mardi" with the festival rather than the day.