The word tuesday comes from

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Not to be confused with Thursday.

Tuesday is the day of the week between Monday and Wednesday. According to international standard ISO 8601, Monday is the first day of the week; thus, Tuesday is the second day of the week. According to some commonly used calendars, however, especially in the United States, Sunday is the first day of the week, so Tuesday is the third day of the week. In Muslim countries, Saturday is the first day of the week and thus Tuesday is the fourth day of the week.

The English name is derived from Old English Tiwesdæg and Middle English Tewesday, meaning «Tīw’s Day», the day of Tiw or Týr, the god of single combat, and law and justice in Norse mythology. Tiw was equated with Mars in the interpretatio germanica, and the name of the day is a translation of Latin dies Martis.

Etymology[edit]

The name Tuesday derives from the Old English Tiwesdæg and literally means «Tiw’s Day».^[1] Tiw is the Old English form of the Proto-Germanic god *Tîwaz, or Týr in Old Norse. *Tîwaz derives from the Proto-Indo-European base *dei-, *deyā-, *dīdyā-, meaning ‘to shine’, whence comes also such words as «deity».^[2]

The German Dienstag and Dutch dinsdag are derived from the Germanic custom of the thing, as Tiw / Týr also had a strong connection to the thing.

The Latin name dies Martis («day of Mars») is equivalent to the Greek ἡμέρα Ἄρεως (hēméra Áreōs, «day of Ares»). In most languages with Latin origins (Italian, French, Spanish, Catalan, Romanian, Galician, Sardinian, Corsican, but not Portuguese), the day is named after Mars, the Roman parallel of the Ancient Greek Ares (Ἄρης).

In some Slavic languages the word Tuesday originated from Old Church Slavonic word въторъ meaning «the second». Bulgarian and Russian Вторник (Vtornik) (Serbian: уторак utorak) is derived from the Bulgarian and Russian adjective for ‘second’ — Втори (Vtori) or Второй (Vtoroi).

In Japanese, the second day of the week is 火曜日 (kayōbi), from 火星 (kasei), the planet Mars. Similarly, in Korean the word Tuesday is 화요일 (hwa yo il), also meaning Mars day.

In the Indo-Aryan languages Pali and Sanskrit the name of the day is taken from Angaraka (‘one who is red in colour’),^[3] a style (manner of address) for Mangala, the god of war, and for Mars, the red planet.

In the Nahuatl language, Tuesday is Huītzilōpōchtōnal (Nahuatl pronunciation: [wiːt͡siloːpoːt͡ʃˈtoːnaɬ]) meaning «day of Huitzilopochtli».

In Arabic, Tuesday is الثلاثاء (al-Thulatha’), and in Hebrew it is יום שלישי (Yom Shlishi), meaning «the third». When added after the word يوم / יום (yom or youm) it means «the third day».

Religious observances[edit]

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Tuesdays are dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. The Octoechos contains hymns on this theme, arranged in an eight-week cycle, that are chanted on Tuesdays throughout the year. At the end of Divine Services on Tuesday, the dismissal begins with the words: «May Christ our True God, through the intercessions of his most-pure Mother, of the honorable and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John…»

In Hinduism, Tuesday is also a popular day for worshipping and praying to Hanuman and some also worship Kartikeya, Kali, and Ganesh. Many Hindus fast during Tuesday. ^[4][5][6]
Tuesday is also viewed as the day ruled by Mangala (Mars) in Hinduism.

Cultural references[edit]

In the Greek world, Tuesday (the day of the week of the Fall of Constantinople) is considered an unlucky day.^[7] The same is true in the Spanish-speaking world; it is believed that this is due to the association between Tuesday and Mars, the god of war and therefore related to death.^[8] For both Greeks and Spanish-speakers, the 13th of the month is considered unlucky if it falls on Tuesday, instead of Friday. In Judaism, on the other hand, Tuesday is considered a particularly lucky day, because in Bereshit (parashah), known in the Christian tradition as the first chapters of Genesis,^[9] the paragraph about this day contains the phrase «it was good» twice.^[10]

In the Thai solar calendar, the day is named for the Pali word for the planet Mars, which also means «Ashes of the Dead»; the color associated with Tuesday is pink.

In the folk rhyme Monday’s Child, «Tuesday’s child is full of grace».

Common occurrences[edit]

United States[edit]

Tuesday is the usual day for elections in the United States. Federal elections take place on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November; this date was established by a law of 1845 for presidential elections (specifically for the selection of the Electoral College), and was extended to elections for the House of Representatives in 1875 and for the Senate in 1914. Tuesday was the earliest day of the week which was practical for polling in the early 19th century: citizens might have to travel for a whole day to cast their vote, and would not wish to leave on Sunday which was a day of worship for the great majority of them. However, a bill was introduced in 2012 to move elections to weekends, with a co-sponsor stating that «by moving Election Day from a single day in the middle of the workweek to a full weekend, we are encouraging more working Americans to participate. Our democracy will be best served when our leaders are elected by as many Americans as possible.»^[11]

Video games are commonly released on Tuesdays in the United States, this fact often attributed to the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 «Sonic 2s day» marketing campaign in 1992.^[12] DVDs and Blu-rays are released on Tuesday.^[13] Albums were typically released on Tuesdays as well, but this has changed to Fridays globally in 2015.^[14]

Australia[edit]

In Australia, the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia meets on the first Tuesday of every month except January.^[15] The federal government hands down the federal budget on the second Tuesday in May, the practice since 1994 (except in 1996 and 2016).^[16] The Melbourne Cup is held each year on the first Tuesday in November.^[17]

Astrology[edit]

In astrology, Tuesday is aligned by the planet Mars and the astrological signs of Aries and Scorpio.

Named days[edit]

• Black Tuesday, in the United States, refers to Tuesday, October 29, 1929, part of the great Stock Market Crash of 1929. This was the Tuesday after Black Thursday.
• Easter Tuesday is the Tuesday within the Octave of Easter.
• Patch Tuesday is the second Tuesday of every month when Microsoft releases patches for their products. Some system administrators call this day Black Tuesday.
• Shrove Tuesday (also called Mardi Gras – Fat Tuesday) precedes the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calendar.
• Super Tuesday is the day many American states hold their presidential primary elections.
• Twosday (portmanteau of two and Tuesday) is the name given to Tuesday, February 22, 2022, and an unofficial one-time secular observance held on that day.

References[edit]

Notes

Sources

• Grimm, Jacob. 1875–78. Deutsche Mythologie. Fourth ed., curated by Elard Hugo Meyer, 3 vols. Berlin: F. Dümmler. Reprinted Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1965.

External links[edit]

Last Update: Jan 03, 2023

This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!

Asked by: Garrick Dare

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Tuesday comes from Tiu, or Tiw, the Anglo-Saxon name for Tyr, the Norse god of war. Tyr was one of the sons of Odin, or Woden, the supreme deity after whom Wednesday was named.

How did Tuesday get its name?

Tuesday gets its name from the Anglo-Saxon’s god of war Tiu, also known as Tyr to the Vikings. The Romans named their third day of the week after their god of war, Mars. That is why romantic languages like Spanish, French and Italian all have similar names for Tuesday: martes, mardi, and martedi.

What are days of the week named after?

The days were named after the planets of Hellenistic astrology, in the order: Sun, Moon, Mars (Ares), Mercury (Hermes), Jupiter (Zeus), Venus (Aphrodite) and Saturn (Cronos). The seven-day week spread throughout the Roman Empire in Late Antiquity.

What is the meaning of the name Tuesday?

Tuesday comes from the Old English tīwesdæg, meaning “Tiu’s day.” Tiu was a Germanic god of the sky and war. His equivalent in Norse mythology is Tyr. The names of the days of the week were modeled after the Latin names.

What is Tuesday named after English?

The name Tuesday comes from a Middle English word, Tiwesday. This word came from the Old English word Tiwes dæg. This was named after the Nordic god Tyr. Tyr was the God of War, like the Roman war god Mars, and Greek god Ares.

45 related questions found

Tuesday is the second day of the week and is derived from the Old English word “Tiwesdæg,” named after Tiw or Tyr, the god of single combat and law.

In many cultures, Tuesday is considered an unlucky day, while in others, it is associated with themes such as confession, passion, and celebration.

Tuesday is ruled by the planet Mars, the birthstone for those born on this day is the ruby, and it is believed to be the most productive day of the week.

In different cultures, Tuesday is associated with different elements, colors, and traditions, making it a fascinating and diverse day of the week.

1. Tuesday is the second day of the week

Tuesday is the second day of the week, following Monday. It is situated between Monday and Wednesday on the standard Western calendar.

2. Tuesday is considered an unlucky day

In many cultures, Tuesday is considered an unlucky day. In some Latin American countries, Tuesday the 13th is considered an unlucky day, similar to Friday the 13th in other cultures.

Also Read: Facts About Wednesday

This belief has led to the emergence of phrases such as “Tuesday’s child is full of woe” and “never start a journey on a Tuesday.”

3. The name Tuesday comes from the Old English word “Tiwesdæg,”

The name Tuesday comes from the Old English word “Tiwesdæg,” which means “Tiw’s day.”

It was named after the god of single combat and law, Tiw or Tyr.

4. Tiw is also known as Tyr

Tiw is also known as Tyr, a Norse god associated with war and justice.

Also Read: Monday Facts

He was known for his courage and bravery, and he sacrificed his hand to the wolf Fenrir to prevent him from destroying the gods.

5. The term “Mardi Gras” refers to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday

Tuesday is also known as “Mardi” in French. The term “Mardi Gras” refers to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent.

6. Mars, the Roman god of war, is associated with Tuesday.

In Spanish, Tuesday is “Martes,” which is also derived from the Latin word “Martis,” which means “Mars.” Mars, the Roman god of war, is associated with Tuesday.

7. In Hinduism, Tuesday is considered a day dedicated to Lord Hanuman

In Hinduism, Tuesday is considered a day dedicated to Lord Hanuman, the monkey god who represents strength and devotion. Hanuman is known for his loyalty to Lord Rama and his heroic deeds, including lifting a mountain and flying through the air.

8. In Judaism, Tuesday is the second day of the week

In Judaism, Tuesday is the second day of the week, and it is believed that God created the waters on this day. According to the Bible, “And God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.’ And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so” (Genesis 1:6-7).

9. Tuesday is ruled by the planet Mars

According to astrology, Tuesday is ruled by the planet Mars, which represents passion, energy, and action. People born on a Tuesday are believed to have strong willpower, leadership qualities, and a competitive spirit.

10. The ruby is the birthstone for those born on a Tuesday

The ruby is the birthstone for those born on a Tuesday. Rubies are known for their deep red color and are believed to bring good luck, health, and happiness. Rubies are also associated with passion and love.

11. Taco Tuesday

In the United States, many fast-food chains offer discounts or special promotions on Tuesdays, such as “Taco Tuesday” at some Mexican fast-food restaurants or “Pizza Tuesday” at some pizza chains.

12. It’s bad luck to start a journey or begin a new project on a Tuesday

According to superstition, it’s bad luck to start a journey or begin a new project on a Tuesday. This belief stems from the idea that Tuesday is an unlucky day and that any new venture started on this day is likely to fail.

13. Tuesday is associated with the theme of confession and penance

In many Christian traditions, Tuesday is associated with the theme of confession and penance. This is because Tuesday is the day after the Sabbath, which is a day of rest and worship. Many people use Tuesday as a day to reflect on their sins and ask for forgiveness.

14. The French Revolution

The French Revolution began on a Tuesday, July 14, 1789. This day is now celebrated as Bastille Day, a national holiday in France.

15. Election Day

The United States presidential election is always held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. This tradition was established in 1845 and is known as Election Day.

16. Tuesday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Latin America

In many Latin American countries, Tuesday the 13th is considered an unlucky day, similar to Friday the 13th in other cultures. This belief is thought to stem from the fact that there were 13 people at the Last Supper, which took place on a Thursday, leading to the belief that 13 is an unlucky number.

17. In Japanese, the word for Tuesday is “ka youbi”

In Japanese, the word for Tuesday is “ka youbi,” which means “fire day.” This is because Tuesday is associated with the planet Mars, which is often associated with the element of fire.

18. In Thai culture, Tuesday is associated with the color pink

In Thai culture, Tuesday is associated with the color pink and is considered a lucky day for weddings. Many couples choose to get married on a Tuesday and wear pink clothing to celebrate.

19. In some African cultures, Tuesday is considered a day of rest

In some African cultures, Tuesday is considered a day of rest, and people avoid doing any strenuous activity on this day. This belief is thought to stem from the idea that Tuesday is an unlucky day and that any hard work done on this day is likely to be unsuccessful.

20. Tuesday is the most productive day of the week

According to research, Tuesday is the most productive day of the week. Many people are able to focus and accomplish more on Tuesdays than on other days of the week, making it a popular day for meetings and important tasks.

21. “seize the day,” is often associated with Tuesdays.

The Latin phrase “carpe diem,” which means “seize the day,” is often associated with Tuesdays. This is because Tuesdays are seen as a day to take action and make the most of opportunities.

22. Tuesday is considered a day for celebrating and enjoying life

In some Latin American cultures, Tuesday is considered a day for celebrating and enjoying life with friends and family. Many people gather together on Tuesdays to share food, drink, and good company.

23. “Tuesday” is the title of a popular children’s book

The popular children’s book “Tuesday” by David Wiesner is a wordless picture book about a group of frogs who take flight on their lily pads on a Tuesday evening. The book won the Caldecott Medal in 1992 and has been a favorite among children and adults alike.

24. Tuesday is associated with the direction west

In some Native American cultures, Tuesday is associated with the direction west and the element water. This is because the west is seen as the direction of the setting sun, and water is associated with the flow of life.

25. Tuesday is often the day when new music, books, and movies are released

Tuesday is often the day when new music, books, and movies are released in the United States. This is because Tuesday is traditionally the day when stores restock their shelves, making it the perfect day to release new products. This tradition has continued even as more products are now released digitally.

В русском все понятно: среда — потому что посреди недели, пятница — потому что пятый день. А в английском ничего не понятно. Пока не понятно! Разбираемся, откуда взялись английские названия дней недели и как можно эффективно из запомнить.

Для начала пробежимся по названиям дней недели: мы собрали их по порядку, с переводом и сокращенными вариантами. Сохраняйте табличку себе, чтобы всегда была под рукой.

Важно помнить: английская неделя формально начинается с воскресенья. Так в IV веке н. э. распорядился римский император Константин. В его неделе первый день — самый важный, день Солнца (то есть Sunday) — предназначался для отдыха и молитвы. А уже после него шли обычные рабочие дни — с понедельника по субботу.

Эта традиция сохранилась, но при этом психологически англичане, как и мы, отсчитывают начало недели с понедельника, а выходные — суббота и воскресенье — завершают неделю. Именно поэтому их называют weekend (конец недели).

Запомнить английские дни недели будет в разы проще, если знать историю их происхождения. Так у вас будет готова база знаний, чтобы выстраивать ассоциации для запоминания. Ну и повод блеснуть знаниями перед друзьями, конечно же.

В слове Monday легко найти ДНК слова moon (луна). Во многих европейских языках понедельник считается лунным днем: в испанском его называют Lunes (от Luna), в итальянском — Lunedi, в немецком — Montag (от Mond — «луна»).

Monday is a very hard day. — Понедельник — очень сложный день.

Название этого дня недели происходит от имени однорукого бога войны Тиу, которому поклонялись древние германцы. Римские завоеватели принесли свое название вторника — Martis, то есть день Марса. Но германцы никакого Марса в глаза не видели, поэтому они использовали для названия дня его местный эквивалент и начали называть вторник Tiw’s day — а тут нетрудно увидеть знакомое нам с первых уроков английского Tuesday.

Tuesday is the strangest day of the week. — Вторник — самый странный день недели.

Этот день недели у римлян был посвящен Меркурию, но северяне и тут пошли своим путем. Они переименовали день в честь своего верховного бога по имени Woden (сегодня мы знаем его как Одина и представляем в виде хорошо загримированного Энтони Хопкинса из фильма «Тор»). Когда-то это слово звучало как Wōdnesdæg, но за последние пару тысячелетий трансформировалось в Wednesday.

My mother will come to us on Wednesday. — Моя мама приедет к нам в среду.

А вот и сам Тор, легок на помине. Четверг у предков нынешних англичан был посвящен богу грома и молний. Не нужно быть лингвистом, чтобы заметить в слове Thursday имя Thor. Иногда оно писалось как Thur. И это еще одна калька, ведь римляне считали, что этот день недели принадлежит Юпитеру, который тоже любил на досуге метать молнии.

Every Thursday I go to the gym. — Каждый четверг я хожу в зал.

Пятница — день свиданий, и не только для нас. Предки англичан посвятили этот день недели богине Фрейе, которая выполняла примерно те же обязанности, что и римская Венера, — покровительствовала чувственной любви, красоте, увеселениям и удовольствиям. Слово Frīgedæg со временем сократилось до Friday, но мы до сих пор считаем, что пятница — это идеальное время, чтобы расслабиться и повеселиться.

We can meet at the cafe on Friday. — Мы можем встретиться в кафе в пятницу.

Наконец-то римский след! Суббота была днем Сатурна (Saturn), древнеримского бога времени (не поэтому ли она так быстро проходит?).

Сегодня у субботы есть печальная особенность — количество преступлений, которые совершаются субботним вечером, намного больше, чем в остальные дни недели. Поэтому в США на криминальном сленге дешевый огнестрел называют Saturday night special.

I usually sleep until noon on Saturdays. — Обычно по субботам я сплю до обеда.

В противоположность нелегкому и мрачному понедельнику, дню Луны, воскресенье — это день Солнца, что и понятно из названия — Sunday. Римляне тоже называли этот день dies Solis.

А вот во многих романских языках (как и в русском) название этого дня недели намекает на воскрешение Христа. Испанское Domingo и итальянское Domenica означают одно и то же — «день Господа».

Sunday is not created for work. — Воскресенье не создано для работы.

Дни недели рекомендуют запоминать с помощью коротких детских стишков: все названия прекрасно рифмуются, так что сложностей с заучиванием возникнуть не должно. Пример такого стиха:

The English language days of the week are named after celestial bodies and mythological figures from history. A mish-mash of cultures and traditions have had an influence on the naming of the days and for those of us studying the English language they provide a fascinating insight into the way that the language is formed.

English draws upon Ancient Greek, Latin and Germanic languages and these influences can all be seen in the names of the days of the week. We use them everyday without realizing just how much they tell us about our language and history, and they serve to show us the similarities between English and so many other European languages.

So let’s take a look at the seven days of the week and how they came to be named.

Greek and Roman gods

The original order of the days, between the 1st and 3rd centuries, was Sun, Moon, Ares, Hermes, Zeus, Aphrodite, and Cronos. These were named after the heavenly bodies that presided over the first daylight hour of each day, according to Hellenistic astrology. From Greece the planetary week names passed to the Romans, from Latin to other languages of southern and western Europe and to other languages later influenced by them.

Why did the Romans name the days of the week after their gods’ names for the planets? Because they saw a connection between their gods and the changing face of the nighttime sky. The ones they were able to see in the sky each night were Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Those five planets plus the moon and sun made seven major astronomical bodies so it was natural to use these seven names when the seven-day week arrived.

Sunday

The first day of the week was named after the sun – dies Solis – day of the sun in Latin and later Sunnon-dagaz in old Germanic. It’s easy to see where the English word Sunday comes from here.

Monday

It’s similarly easy to see where this weekday name originates too. Monday is the moon day – dies Lunae in Latin, becoming Mon(an)dæg in Old English.

Tuesday

Whereas most English days of the week retain their associations with the Roman gods, some were substituted for the names of the equivalent Germanic gods, because English is a Germanic language.

Tuesday was named for the Roman god of war, Mars, so in Latin was known as dies Martis. However, the Germanic god of war was known as Tiu and the English day of the week is derived from this Germanic god’s name instead, first known as Tiwsday and eventually Tuesday.

Wednesday

Similarly, the Germanic equivalent of the Roman god Mercury was the equally as swift Woden. And so this day, which started out in Latin as dies Mercurii became Woden’s day in old Germanic, eventually becoming Wednesday in English.

Thursday

Jupiter, also known as Jove, is the supreme Roman god and patron of the Roman state. He is the god that created thunder and lightning. Thor is the Norse god of thunder, often shown riding through the sky in a chariot. And it’s from this Norse god that we see the Latin dies Jovis (day of Jupiter) become Thor’s day and eventually Thursday.

Friday

Venus is the Roman goddess of love and beauty, and in Latin her day was known as dies Veneris. We get the English name for Venus’ day from Frigg, the Norse goddess of love and the heavens, and possibly Fria, the Teutonic goddess of love and beauty. In Germanic we have Frije-dagaz, later becoming Friday in English.

Saturday

We end with an easy one. Saturn is the Roman god of agriculture, known in Ancient Greece as Cronos. In Latin we have dies Saturni and it’s not hard to see that Saturday today is still very much Saturn’s day.