Holiday

1500s, earlier haliday (c.1200), from Old English haligdæg "holy day; Sabbath," from halig "holy" (see holy) + dæg "day" (see day); in 14th-century meaning both "religious festival" and "day of recreation," but pronunciation and sense diverged 16th-century. As a verb meaning "to pass the holidays" by 1869.

SOURCE: Online Etymology Dictionary

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This is one of those etymologies that seems so obvious, yet was easily glossed over perhaps because of it. A part of me feels like I already knew this etymology, but another part of me also felt surprised at not knowing this, if that makes sense.