DictionaryAI

week

SayWEEK/wik//wiːk/

Pluralweeks

5 meanings of week

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A period of seven days in a row, especially one beginning on Sunday or Monday as shown on a calendar.

    She booked the cabin for a week beginning on a Wednesday.

    The medicine should be taken every day for a full week.

    UsageSay twice a week for how often, and in a week or a week from Monday for the future.

  2. 2
    later datenounUKcountable
    A date falling seven days after, or sometimes before, a specified day.

    The hearing was postponed until Wednesday week, giving both sides more time.

    They're getting married Saturday week, not this coming Saturday but the one after.

    UsageIf Thursday week might confuse, a week on Thursday or a week from Thursday says it more plainly.

    Note

    A way of naming a date by putting week directly after a day, with no preposition between them. Thursday week means a week on Thursday, the Thursday after next, and tomorrow week means a week tomorrow, eight days from now.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

    • Week following a named day can designate a date seven days afterward or sometimes beforehand. en.wiktionary.org
    • Thursday week means a week on Thursday, or Thursday after next. en.wiktionary.org
    • Tomorrow week means a week tomorrow, eight days from now. en.wiktionary.org
  3. 3
    Monday to Fridaynouncountable
    A period of five days beginning with Monday, the stretch from Monday to Friday.

    Most offices operate on a five-day week, Monday to Friday.

    She works long hours during the week but keeps her weekends free.

    UsageDuring the week usually means Monday to Friday, as opposed to the weekend.

    Similarworkweek

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    month divisionnouncountable
    A division of the month into longer stretches of workdays broken up by shorter periods set aside for markets, rest, or religious observance such as a sabbath.

    Many traditional calendars split the month into short market weeks of four to eight days.

    The Roman week of eight days ran from one market day to the next.

  2. 5
    interjectionrare
    Used to represent the shrill squeal made by a pig.

Practice

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Origin

From Middle English wyke, from Old English wiċe, wucu ("week"), from Proto-Germanic *wikǭ ("turn, succession, change, week"), from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to bend, wind, turn, yield." It is related to Dutch week, German Woche, and Swedish vecka, and to English weak and wick.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 7 facts

  • Week derives from Middle English wyke and Old English wiċe, wucu, meaning 'week'. en.wiktionary.org
  • The word descends from Proto-Germanic *wikǭ. en.wiktionary.org
  • The reconstructed Proto-Germanic word is glossed 'turn, succession, change, week'. en.wiktionary.org
  • The Proto-Germanic word derives from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to bend, wind, turn, yield'. en.wiktionary.org
  • Week is related to Dutch week, German Woche, and Swedish vecka. en.wiktionary.org
  • Week is related to English weak. en.wiktionary.org
  • Week is related to English wick, specifically the dialectal word meaning 'corner'. en.wiktionary.org