Easter

On this page

• Meaning of the word
• The word “Easter” in other languages
• Possible origins of the English word
  • Goddess of spring
  • Spring festival
• Phrases containing the word “Easter”
• Capitalization
• Additional information

Meaning of the word

Easter is the name for the Christian festival commemorating the passion, death and resurrection of Christ.

The word “Easter” in other languages

In many European languages, the word for Easter comes from the Hebrew Pesach. We can easily see the connection in the French Pâques, Italian Pasqua, Spanish Pascua, Dutch Pasen, Danish Påske or Russian Paskha, for example. All of these words refer to the Jewish feast of Pesach (Passover), which was the setting for the Easter events related by the Gospel writers.

Possible origins of the English word

However, the English word Easter is unrelated to the Hebrew word Pesach. In fact, its derivation is unclear. There are various theories to explain where the name came from.

Goddess of spring

The most popular theory is reflected in the entry for Easter in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary: the Old English word eastre apparently came from Eostre, a goddess associated with spring.

Spring festival

Another theory is that Eostre was simply the Anglo-Saxon word for spring festivals. Linguists trace this word to root words thousands of years old meaning “shine” and “dawn.” Spring is a season of lengthening days and increased light. It would make sense for early peoples to give their spring festivals a name that celebrated the rising sun.

Phrases containing the word “Easter”

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is the day on which Easter falls.

• Christians around the world celebrate Easter Sunday.

Easter Monday

Easter Monday is the day after Easter.

• Many schools in Ontario are closed on Easter Monday.

Happy Easter!

This phrase is a common greeting used at Easter. Note that we say “Happy Easter,” not “Merry Easter.”

• Wishing you a happy Easter!

Easter lily

This term refers to a white trumpet-shaped flower that blooms in early spring.

• Easter lilies love bright, indirect light.

Easter egg

This term can refer to an egg dyed, painted or decorated for Easter.

• The Ukrainian tradition of dyeing Easter eggs dates back thousands of years.

It can also refer to an unexpected feature (such as a message or an image) hidden in a film, a video game or software for entertainment purposes.

• The main character makes an easter egg cameo in all of the studio’s films.

Chocolate Easter egg

This term refers to a hollow or solid chocolate in the shape of an egg, often wrapped in coloured foil and given as a gift at Eastertime.

• She tucked a small chocolate easter egg into each gift bag as a sweet holiday treat.

Easter egg hunt

An Easter egg hunt is a festive activity in which children search for and collect hidden Easter eggs, often in a basket. The eggs can be made of chocolate or of plastic and filled with treats or toys.

• At Easter, many children go on a chocolate Easter egg hunt.

Capitalization

When the word Easter refers to the holiday, it takes a capital, even when it’s used as an adjective.

• Easter can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25.
• Our whole family is coming over for Easter dinner.

When the term easter egg refers to an unexpected feature in a film, a video game or software, it can be capitalized or lowercased.

• The main character makes an Easter egg [or easter egg] cameo in all of the studio’s films.

Additional information

Quizzes

• Easter trivia

Blog posts

• How to capitalize holiday greetings