Sunday | Meaning and origins of Sunday

Sunset behind the lighthouse. The meaning and origins behind Sunday the first or last day of the week.

The English noun Sunday is derived from the Old English word Sunnandaeg, literally meaning day of the sun.

The Dutch derivation is from the Middle Dutch word sonnendach, the German word originates from the Old High German word sunnun tag and the Norse word from the Old Norse sunnudagr, (Danish and Norwegian søndag, and Swedish söndag).

Sunday in German is an interpretation of Latin dies solis, "day of the sun".

In the majority of Indian Languages, the word for Sunday is Ravivar, Adivar or It'var, with Adi (Ah'-Dee) or Ravi being the Sanskrit names for the Sun.



Sunday:

  • Dutch ~ Zondag
  • French ~ Dimanche
  • German ~ Sonntag
  • Italian ~ Domenica
  • Portugese ~ Domingo
  • Spanish ~ Domingo

Sunday's child.
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
Childrens nursery rhyme.