Easter

Meanings

Noun

• A festival held in honour of the goddess Eostre or Ostara, celebrated at the vernal equinox or within the month of April; Eostre, Ostara.
• The Jewish Passover.

Verb

• To celebrate Easter.
• To spend the Easter season in some place.

Origin

• The noun is derived from Middle English ester, Ester, estern, Eestour, from Old English ēaster, ēastre, apparently from Ēastre, Ēostre, from Proto-Germanic *Austrǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- or *h₂wes-. The English word is cognate with German Low German Oostern, Old High German ōstarūn (modern German Ostern), and is a east.
• The verb is derived from the noun.