from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Easter \Eas"ter\ ([=e]s"t[~e]r), n. [AS. e['a]ster, e['a]stran,
paschal feast, Easter; akin to G. ostern; fr. AS. E['a]stre,
a goddess of light or spring, in honor of whom a festival was
celebrated in April; whence this month was called in AS.
E['a]sterm[=o]na[eth]. From the root of E. east. See {East}.]
1. An annual church festival commemorating Christ's
resurrection, and occurring on Sunday, the second day
after Good Friday. It corresponds to the pascha or
passover of the Jews, and most nations still give it this
name under the various forms of {pascha}, {pasque},
{p[^a]que}, or {pask}.
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2. The day on which the festival is observed; Easter day.
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Note: Easter is used either adjectively or as the first
element of a compound; as, Easter day or Easter-day,
Easter Sunday, Easter week, Easter gifts, Easter eggs.
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Sundays by thee more glorious break,
An Easter day in every week. --Keble.
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Note: Easter day, on which the rest of the movable feasts
depend, is always the first Sunday after the fourteenth
day of the calendar moon which (fourteenth day) falls
on, or next after, the 21st of March, according to the
rules laid down for the construction of the calendar;
so that if the fourteenth day happen on a Sunday,
Easter day is the Sunday after. --Eng. Cyc.
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{Easter dues} (Ch. of Eng.), money due to the clergy at
Easter, formerly paid in communication of the tithe for
personal labor and subject to exaction. For Easter dues,
Easter offerings, voluntary gifts, have been substituted.
{Easter egg}.
(a) A painted or colored egg used as a present at Easter.
(b) An imitation of an egg, in sugar or some fine
material, sometimes made to serve as a box for jewelry
or the like, used as an Easter present.
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