Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A Christian feast observed in honor of the archangel Michael.
- n. September 29, the day on which this feast is observed.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A festival celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican, and some other churches on September 29th, in honor of the archangel Michael. The festival is called in full the Festival or Feast of St. Michael and, All Angels. It appears to have originated in a local celebration or celebrations, and seems to have already existed in the fifth century. The Greek Church dedicates November 8th to St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and All Angels; the Armenian and Coptic churches also observe this day.
- n. September the 29th as one of the four quarter-days in England on which rents are paid.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. The feast of the archangel Michael, a church festival, celebrated on the 29th of September. Hence, colloquially, autumn.
WordNet 3.0
- n. honoring the archangel Michael; a quarter day in England, Wales, and Ireland
Etymologies
- Michael + -mas (Wiktionary)
- Middle English mychelmesse, from Old English (Sanct) Michaeles mæsse, (Saint) Michael's mass : Michaeles, genitive of Michael, the archangel Michael + mæsse, Mass; see Mass. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“The lodgings we had in this farmhouse (Bottrel's) proving too strait and inconvenient for the family, I took larger and better lodgings for them in Berriehouse at Amersham, whither we went at the time called Michaelmas, having spent the summer at the other place.”
“Michaelmas is reckoned by mariners as a bad time of the year to be at sea as any other; they complain of their Michaelmas-blasts; it was that time now with these distressed voyagers.”
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation)
“(written by my father's command) to put off what cattle he had left about his house, and to discharge his servants; which I had done at the time called Michaelmas before.”
“The feast of St. Michael the Archangel, also known as Michaelmas, is celebrated on September 29th.”
“The autumn Ember days are called the Michaelmas embertide due to their proximity to the Feast of St. Michael which as you have pointed out comes later in the month.”
“The first goose brought to table is called a Michaelmas goose;”
Welsh Folk-Lore a Collection of the Folk-Tales and Legends of North Wales
“In the Chaldean allegories the name of Michael was given to this personification, and called Michaelmas, or feast of Michael.”
“Also known as Michaelmas Day, September 29th is the feast of St. Michael the Archangel.”
WN.com - Articles related to Italy denies paying Taliban for peace
“These highbrow hybrids have even shed their American name, coming back with the British name Michaelmas daisies.”
“Here's the Collect for the day, which is also called "Michaelmas":”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘Michaelmas’.
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Rent
Here I'm attempting to list words which have to do with what the Century Dictionary defines as "a definite compensation or return reserved by a lease, to be made periodically, or fixed with referen...
rent, Rent, economic rent, rent-service, rent-charge, fee-farm rent, rent-seck, seck, rent seck, barren rent, rents of assize, quit-rents and 32 more...
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Words I See Primarily in Books About ...
furze, peat, turnips, Michaelmas, Candlemas, hunter's moon, harvest moon, banish, rampart, lest, ordure, market day and 74 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for Michaelmas.
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