week

SayWEEK/wik//wiːk/

Pluralweeks

5 meanings of week

1
nouncountable
Seven days in a row, often counted from Sunday or Monday.
Like counting seven days forward from any day you pick.
I'll be away for a week starting this Thursday.
The whole trip lasted just over a week.
UsageSay once a week or in a week.
2
later datenounUKcountable
A day seven days after, or sometimes before, a named day.
Like saying "a week from Friday" in one short phrase.
Come back Monday week and the parcel will be ready.
He promised to call Tuesday week about the job.
UsageSay Thursday week, or more clearly a week on Thursday or a week from Thursday.
Note
3
Monday to Fridaynouncountable
A set of five days that starts on Monday and runs to Friday.
Like the school days that come before the weekend break.
Her course runs the full week, Monday through Friday.
They work a five-day week and rest on weekends.
UsageUse during the week for Monday to Friday, as opposed to the weekend.
Similarworkweek

Less common meanings

4
month divisionnouncountable
A way of splitting the month into work days followed by short breaks for rest, markets, or worship.
Like a run of work days followed by a short break, repeated through the month.
Ancient Romans used an eight-day week that ended with a market day.
In some old calendars, a week was only four or five days long.
5
interjectionrare
Used to copy the high squealing sound a pig makes.

Practice

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Origin

From Old English wucu, meaning "week." It goes back to old Germanic and even older roots meaning "to turn" or "to bend."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Week derives from Old English wucu, meaning 'week'. en.wiktionary.org
The word has Germanic ancestry and an older root meaning 'to turn' or 'to bend'. en.wiktionary.org