Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A 40-day period of fasting and penitence observed by many Christians in preparation for Easter. In Western churches, Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday until Easter, usually excepting Sundays.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun Period of penitence for Christians before Easter.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English lenten, lente, spring, Lent, from Old English lencten; see del- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Shortened form of Lenten, from Old English lencten. Related to German Lenz ("springtime"), which is derived from a word related to long, because of the longer days.

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